


swaying our sentiments, pulling our strings

by Ninyaaaaaaah



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Aftercare, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, BDSM, Ball Gag, Bets & Wagers, Blow Jobs, Bondage, Butt Plugs, Choking, Cock Rings, Collar, Desperation Play, Dom/sub, Double Penetration, Edging, Fisting, Foursome - M/M/M/M, Hair Pulling, Hand Jobs, Handcuffs, Humiliation, Ice Play, Jamilton - Freeform, Laurette - Freeform, M/M, Nipple Clamps, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Orgy, Overstimulation, Pain Kink, Pet Play, Public Sex, Riding Crop, Rimming, Safe Word Use, Sensation Play, Shower Sex, Spanking, Sub Drop, Vibrators, Watersports, Wax Play, blind folds, come stuffing (mentioned), enemies to lovers I guess, mean domming, rope harness, spreader bar, swinging, vague modern office AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-01 19:00:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13301202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ninyaaaaaaah/pseuds/Ninyaaaaaaah
Summary: Thomas and Alex are forced to share a room at the office's winter retreat.Bets are made.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who sent in kinks to my tumblr - I managed to get almost all of them into this fic!
> 
> All chapters will be individually tagged for what they contain: this one is just the set up, no smut yet.
> 
> Special thanks to missjo for letting me scream at her endlessly about this, and to the group chat who I'm positive is sick of hearing me whine about this fic.

Lafayette whistles to himself as he walks around the office, hands in his pockets. He has that look on his face that he gets when he thinks he’s planned something brilliant, little smile and a glimmer in his dark eyes. 

Alex watches him walk by, and narrows his eyes at the sly sideways look Lafayette shoots him. 

He forgets about it by mid-afternoon, swept up in the daytime flurry of meetings and deadlines. 

He forgets about it until he sits down at his desk at 2:30 pm and opens his email for the first time since this morning. 

**_Annual Office Holiday Trip!_ **

So that’s what Lafayette was smirking about all day. 

Alex hates the office trip. He hates that work shuts down for a week, even if there are meetings and workshops to attend while they are away. He hates that they are forced to go away together, to room with a colleague. He hates having to acknowledge the holidays more than he would choose to. He hates spending a week in luxury on someone else’s dime. 

It wasn’t too bad last year, when he got to room with John, and they went to Florida, so at least it wasn’t cold. 

Still.

Alex swallows his dread and clicks on the email from Lafayette. Scans through it, sinking feeling in his chest. 

A skiing trip. 

Alex groans. 

He hates the cold, he’s not outdoorsy, he doesn’t know how to ski. He can already tell this trip is going to be a nightmare, and he hasn’t even checked who his assigned roommate for the week is. 

He almost doesn’t want to know. 

He hopes Lafayette took pity on him, hopes Lafayette didn’t stick him with John Adams, or whiny Charles Lee. 

He takes a deep breath, and scrolls down to the assigned rooms. 

Alex leaps up from his desk so fast his chair falls over backwards with a crash. 

Anger burns hot through his body as he stalks down the hallway, heading for Lafayette’s office. Lafayette is supposed to be his _friend_. Lafayette is supposed to let him room with someone he actually likes. Of course, he can’t room with John anymore, but still. 

He barges into Lafayette’s office, all anger and heat.

“Lafayette!” He practically shouts as Lafayette looks up from his computer, serene smile on his face. 

“Yes Alexander?” Lafayette purrs, like a cat with a canary. 

Alex is about to launch into a tirade, when Thomas Jefferson strides into Lafayette’s office and shuts the door behind him. 

“Lafayette,” Thomas sneers, “there must be some sort of mistake-”

“Why would you room me with him!?” Alex and Thomas exclaim simultaneously, fingers pointing at each other. 

Alex glares at Thomas. He detests everything about the Virginian. His big hair, his garish fashion sense, his obnoxious voice and arrogant swagger. His dark eyes and his sharp jawline and his plush kissable lips. 

Lafayette shrugs, and looks entirely unfazed by Thomas and Alex, both looming angrily over his desk. He stretches, catlike, and props his socked feet up on his desk. 

“The office trip is about building office relations, no? It is about getting to know each other better, so that we might work in better harmony. If anyone needs some harmony, it is the pair of you,” and he smiles sweetly, leans back in his chair. 

Thomas splutters, anger robbing him of his words. 

Alex slams his hands down on Lafayette’s desk. 

“You can’t- you can’t make me room with him! Lafayette, I thought you were my friend!” He glares at Lafayette, can’t believe his friend would do this to him. 

“Lafayette, I beg you to reconsider. I can’t spend a week sharing a room with… him,” Thomas sneers. 

“Nope,” Lafayette says. Pleased. Smug. He folds his arms behind his head, crosses his legs at the ankles. “Who knows, you might even find you like each other.” He sticks out his tongue, and waggles his eyebrows suggestively. 

“Oh please, as if I would ever fuck him,” Thomas splutters. 

“What makes you think you’d be doing the fucking?! As if I’d bottom for you!” Alex shoots back, whirling to stab his finger into Thomas’ stupid smug chest. 

Thomas raises an eyebrow, looks down at Alex’s finger. 

“Don’t tell me you’re scared? Don’t think you could handle it?” He taunts. 

“I’m not _scared_ , you fuck. I’d be the best goddamn bottom you ever had in your life!” Alex shoots back. 

“You wouldn’t last a week as my sub!” Thomas snaps. 

“Wanna bet?” Alex fires back, all heat, all anger.

In his chair, Lafayette watches them closely, smug grin on his stupid French face. 

“What are we wagering, my friends?” He asks, voice silky smooth. 

Alex stares dumbly at Lafayette, realizes too late what he just proposed. Beside him, Thomas does the same. 

The silence that falls over the small office prickles with tension. 

“Think on it,” Lafayette says after a long moment, “and let me know. I simply cannot change the room assignments. Now, if you don’t mind, I have things to do?” Lafayette makes no move to sit up, but he stares at Alex and Thomas expectantly until Alex turns with a huff. 

“Fuck you, Laf!” He snarls, and yanks open the office door. 

“Mm, that’s Thomas’ job now, no?” Lafayette purrs.

~

The following morning, there’s a yellow envelope on Alex’s desk when he walks into his office, marked CONFIDENTIAL in large purple letters. 

Alex sits down at his desk and unwinds the little red string holding it closed. Slides out a typed letter, and starts to read. 

_Alexander,_

_If we’re really doing this, I have a few conditions._

Alex rolls his eyes and takes a giant mouthful of coffee before continuing to read.

_1) we will both be tested prior to next week, and provide copies of our results to one another. I would prefer not to use condoms._

Okay, so Thomas is actually making sense. Alex is loathe to admit it, but he agrees with him for perhaps the first time in his life. 

_2) I’d like you to provide me with a list of everything you are and are not willing to do. I think it’s important that we establish boundaries prior to next week. Please also indicate which safe words you would like to use, as you are subbing, I would like it to be something you are familiar and comfortable with._

Alex huffs a little, and drinks more coffee. Thomas is still making sense, and Alex isn’t entirely sure that he hasn’t stepped into some sort of alternate universe. 

_3) Your transportation to and from the resort has been arranged. You will pack for the week according to my direction. As your dom, your safety and wellbeing is my responsibility for the duration of our trip._

Okay, Thomas is taking this far too seriously. Alex rolls his eyes again. 

Still. 

He ducks out at lunch to get tested. 

At the end of the day, he drops the envelope on Thomas’ desk wordlessly, detailed list inside. 

~

The following morning, the envelope is back on Alex’s desk. 

He settles in with his coffee and pulls out his list, annotated and amended with purple pen. He looks over Thomas’ adjustments, makes some of his own, and seals it back up again. 

Returns it to Thomas’ desk at lunch. 

He gets it back at the end of the day, with a note scrawled at the bottom:

_I consent and agree to all of the above._

_Thomas Jefferson._

Alex rolls his eyes again, and adds his signature next to Thomas’. 

He photocopies the list and stuffs a copy of it in his laptop bag. 

Returns the sealed envelope to Thomas. 

~

A week later, they trade negative test results. 

That afternoon, the evening before the trip, Alex receives an email from Lafayette.

**Terms & Wager**

He reads it through, heart sinking into his stomach like a lead weight, too late to back down now, and if he’s being truly honest, he doesn’t want to anyways.

Steals himself, and packs up his things for the evening. Can’t deny that the thrill that runs through his body isn’t entirely made up of dread. 

He takes a deep breath, and locks up his office for the week. 

It’s on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains: nipple clamps, rope harness, collar, anal sex, anal fingering, masturbation, and a little bit of orgasm delay/denial/edging
> 
> fic title is from "Ribbons and Detours" by Silversun Pickups (I forgot to put that in the notes on the last chapter)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who has no self control and posted this ahead of intended schedule? :D

Alex packs according to the list Thomas sends him, irritation burning up and down his spine with every item he throws haphazardly into his shabby duffel bag. 

At exactly nine am, he jogs down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk. 

Stops dead at the sight of the fucking stretch limo, tuxedoed driver standing by the passenger’s side door.

“Mr. Hamilton?” The driver asks, voice like velvet. 

Alex blinks. 

“Uh. Yeah,” he answers, taken aback. 

“Perfect. Mr. Jefferson sent me to collect you. Please, allow me,” the driver holds out his hand expectantly, and it takes Alex an embarrassingly long moment to realize he’s waiting for Alex to give him his duffel bag. 

He hands it over, and watches the driver put the bag in the trunk. He burns with shame at the contrast between his beaten up bag and the spotless limo, surprised the vehicle doesn’t simply cough the bag back out onto the street in protest. 

The driver opens the door, and gestures to Alex to step inside. 

“Should you need anything at all, please let me know. There is water, juice, and sparkling wine in the fridge for your enjoyment. Please, feel free to help yourself to anything you’d like.” 

Alex climbs into the back of the limo, and sits down uncomfortably in the middle of the bench seat. There’s a tiny fridge, and a basket with some rolls and fresh fruit. 

Alex scowls, and doesn’t touch any of it. 

~

When Alex steps into the room he’s sharing with Thomas for a week, Thomas is already inside. He’s stretched out on the bed closest to the door, lounging against the excessive amount of white pillows, reading a book. 

Alex kicks off his shoes and drops his duffel bag on the ground. 

“How was your ride?” Thomas asks, the picture of serenity.

“Ridiculous. What are you playing at, getting me a fucking stretch limo, are you kidding?” Alex snaps, grumpy from lack of coffee and the absolute ridiculousness of it all. 

Thomas stands up with a suddenness that startles Alex. He sets his book down, and crosses the space between them, takes Alex’s chin in his hand. 

“I believe you mean, ‘thank you, sir,’ don’t you?” Thomas asks, voice low and dangerous. 

Alex glares up at him, and yeah, he agreed to this, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to make it easy for Thomas. 

“Bite me,” he spits. 

Thomas digs his fingers into Alex’s chin, and Alex can’t help it that his cock twitches in response, can’t help it that desire starts to burn liquid in his bones.

“You want to try that answer again?” Thomas leans in close, lets his long, lean body press up against Alex. he smirks, and Alex knows he can feel him getting hard in his jeans. 

“Did I stutter?” Alex says, meets Thomas’ gaze head on. 

Thomas stares down at him for a long moment, eyes narrowed. 

“Consider yourself lucky that we don’t have time for me to punish you for that right now, but don’t think I won’t remember. We have a meeting in half an hour, Alexander, so there’s no time to waste. Clothing off.” Thomas lets go of Alex’s chin, and steps back to allow him space to move. 

Alex stares at Thomas for a long moment, tempted to refuse just to see how Thomas would handle it. 

Curiosity wins out, though, and he strips efficiently, tossing his clothes onto the unused bed. 

Thomas walks over to his suitcase and rummages around for something while Alex stands and waits. 

When Thomas turns back around, Alex’s breath catches in his throat at the sight of what’s in Thomas’ hands. 

“May I put you in a rope harness, Alexander?” Thomas asks. 

“Green,” Alex replies. 

“Good,” Thomas says, and he steps back in to Alex, soft purple rope in his hands. 

Alex stands still, lets Thomas drape the rope lightly over the back of his neck. He sinks into the sensation of soft rope winding around him as Thomas carefully loops and knots the rope, working silently. He works down Alex’s body, creating a soft harness that hugs Alex gently. 

“Legs apart, just a little,” Thomas says quietly. 

Alex steps out, shivers a little when the rope slides over his hips. 

“May I touch your cock?” Thomas asks.

“Green,” Alex whispers. 

Thomas hums softly in approval, and takes Alex’s cock in his hand. 

Alex shivers at the contact, Thomas’ warm hand gentle around his length. 

The rope winds around the base of his cock, just tight enough that he won’t be able to forget it’s there. 

Thomas threads it through Alex’s legs, up between his cheeks like a thong, and ties it off at his hips. 

“There. You look good in purple, Alexander,” Thomas comments. 

Alex huffs a little laugh.

“You think everything looks good in purple,” he replies, and turns to face Thomas. He wriggles his hips, stretches and shifts inside the intricate rope work.

“Comfortable?” Thomas asks. 

“Yes,” Alex responds. The rope hugs his body, but it isn’t uncomfortable. It’s just… there. 

“Good. Get dressed, you’re wearing that all day.” Thomas walks back over to the suitcase, and Alex dresses carefully, clothes settling over the rope harness. 

Thomas comes back, and settles a black leather collar around Alex’s neck. He buckles it on, fits a finger underneath it to check the fit, and flicks the tag, making it jingle.

“You are not to take this off,” Thomas instructs.

Alex opens his mouth to protest. Shuts it again. 

Thomas hands him a purple pashmina scarf.

“You may wear this to cover it when we are in public.”

~

Morning meetings turn into lunch, where Alex scarfs down a burger and fries, pointedly ignoring Thomas’ eyes on him as he sits with Hercules and John. After lunch, Alex manages to avoid getting on skis by letting John drag him to the tube park. 

Hours later, cold, exhausted, clothes damp beneath his worn winter gear, Alex shivers through dinner. He can feel Thomas’ narrowed eyes on him from across the dining hall. Resolutely, he ignores it, settles closer to the fire and cups his mug of hot cocoa tight in his chilled hands. 

He could almost forget that under the purple scarf, he’s still wearing a collar. 

He could almost forget that under all his damp clothes, he’s wrapped up like a present in silky purple rope. 

He could almost forget, except that every time he moves, he can feel the ropes around him, holding him gentle and steady. They’re a constant reminder of Thomas, and Alex can’t help the way his breath catches a little when he leans across the table to steal a nacho from John’s plate. 

John eyes him for a moment, but says nothing, and Alex settles back into his seat. 

~

Later, Alex watches Thomas stand out of the corner of his eye. He watches him leave the dining hall without so much as glancing at Alex. 

Alex waits a moment, makes his excuses, and follows. 

By the time he gets there, Thomas is already inside, snow gear hung up to dry. 

“How are you doing, Alexander?” Thomas asks, and Alex’s head spins for a moment at the strangeness of it all. He can’t remember Thomas ever asking him a civil question before, but looking at him now, he knows he means it, knows he wants an answer. 

“I’m good,” Alex says back as he strips out of his snow gear, hangs it up beside Thomas’. Goosebumps rise on his skin, dry now, but chilled with being damp and cold for so long. 

“Good. Still comfortable?” Thomas asks. He has the electric fireplace in the corner of their room turned up high, blankets turned down on the bed closer to the window. 

“Yes,” Alex wriggles in his harness again, testing the careful hug of rope around his body. 

“Good. Clothes off then, get on the bed.” Thomas strips his t-shirt off over his head as he talks. 

Alex complies, and settles awkwardly on the bed. He is all hard angles, all unsure what to do with his limbs, wrapped up in purple and made to look pretty, or so he hopes. 

Thomas just looks at him for a long moment, appraising. 

Alex shivers under his gaze, and waits, anticipation taking the fight out of him. 

“You’re cold?” Thomas asks. 

“A little,” Alex admits, knows Thomas can see it on his skin, knows there’s no point lying. 

“Hmm,” Thomas shucks off his jeans and socks, and retrieves a couple of items from the suitcase, tossing them onto the bed next to Alex. “Dress warmer tomorrow.”

Alex opens his mouth. Shuts it again. Huffs a little.

“Okay,” he says. Sees no point in telling Thomas that he can’t dress warmer, because he doesn’t have anything warmer to wear. Besides, he’s always cold.

“Good,” Thomas says, “lie down?” He climbs onto the bed next to Alex, stretches out along it. 

Alex takes a moment to appreciate Thomas’ body, all hard lines and lean muscle under flawless brown skin. Sure, the lilac purple boxer briefs are a little ridiculous, but Alex has to admit they don’t look bad hugging Thomas’ firm ass and cock. 

He stretches out on his side, facing Thomas, head pillowed on his arm. Is left a little off kilter by the strangeness of it all, all over again

Thomas reaches out and brushes his fingers over Alex’s cheek, the gesture surprisingly gentle. 

Alex’s breath catches in his throat and he feels suddenly exposed, the weight of months and months of attraction kept tight behind clenched teeth heavy on his lungs. It’s all laid bare now in the few inches between him and Thomas, fragile and soft on the cool white sheets. 

“Can I kiss you?” Thomas asks. 

“Yes,” Alex breathes. 

Thomas closes the space between them, and Alex can’t help but bristle against the kiss, guard flying back up as Thomas’ soft lips press into his. He forces himself to relax, reminds himself he agreed to this, and can’t deny that he more than half wants it. 

Thomas kisses him gently at first, testing the waters. He slides his hand into Alex’s hair, fingers tangling gently. 

Alex shivers, feeling cold and exposed. He parts his lips for the stroke of Thomas’ tongue, and he wants to build a brick wall between them but he wants to unzip his skin and lay himself bare in Thomas’ hands. 

Thomas must feel him shiver, because he slides his hand back out of Alex’s hair, and he strokes it down his side and slides his arm around Alex. Pulls him close against the warm, hard expanse of his body, and strokes up and down Alex’s back. 

Alex must have imagined this moment a thousand times over, the two of them, oil and water, crashing together with explosive chemistry. He imagined it heat and hurry, fight and fire and passion.   
The careful way Thomas licks into his mouth, strokes his back, holds him close… it’s unexpected, but it stirs something in Alex. He presses close, lets Thomas’ tongue stroking into his mouth turn him into softness and melt, the quivering in his skin less from cold and more from want. 

Thomas’ hand strokes over Alex’s body, fingers gliding over the curve of his ass, over the soft ridge of his hip, up his side. Thomas’ fingertips find Alex’s nipple and roll it between them, teasing it to hardness. 

Alex moans softly into Thomas’ mouth and it feels like a confession. 

Thomas smirks, soft lips curving against Alex’s mouth, and he pinches his nipple between his fingers and tugs, sending sudden heat through Alex’s body.

Alex pulls back from the kiss, lips brushing Thomas’, fingers curled against Thomas’ chest. 

“That the best you can do?” He taunts, but it comes out breathless and softer than he meant it. 

“You can’t just be good, can you?” Thomas sneers back, and it gives Alex a little bit of breathing room, solid ground of familiarity to stand on. 

“No,” he shoots back, grinning. Nips Thomas’ lower lip, and tugs. 

Thomas gives his nipple a sharp yank, and Alex’s breath catches in his throat.

“We’ll see about that,” Thomas murmurs, and he lets go of Alex to reach over him. 

Alex hears the soft sound of delicate chain. He rolls onto his back at Thomas’ gentle prompting, and arches up into the stroke of one finger down the center of his torso. Goosebumps rise in the wake of that gentle touch, and Thomas lets the length of delicate chain pool onto Alex’s belly, cool metal making him shiver. 

“I’m going to attach these to your nipples. Colour?” Thomas asks. 

“Green,” Alex responds without hesitation. 

“Good,” Thomas picks up the chain again, fastens the clamps to Alex’s nipples, and gives the chain an experimental tug. 

Alex squirms, the sweet jolt of pain going straight to his cock. 

“Mmm, you like that?” Thomas asks, watching Alex closely. 

“Yeah,” Alex breathes, looks up at Thomas and finds he doesn’t mind feeling so exposed as much anymore. Not with Thomas watching him like that. Not with the clamps on his nipples and the rope harness still wrapped around him. 

“What if…” Thomas switches the chain to his other hand, “what if I do this…” he strokes his hand down Alex’s body, rubs the flat of his palm over Alex’s hard cock, and tugs on the chain at the same time. 

Alex’s mouth drops open on a moan, and his hips buck up into the touch. 

“Mm, thought so,” Thomas murmurs. He curls his fingers around Alex’s cock, strokes with teasing touches for a moment before letting go again. His fingers trail over Alex’s body, plucking at the rope harness. “I could get used to you like this.”

Alex says nothing, just watches Thomas’ face as his hand roves over his body, playing with the rope. The light touches make Alex shiver. 

Thomas strokes his fingertips over the head of Alex’s cock, and yanks on the chain. 

“Fuck!” Alex gasps, twisting beneath Thomas, pleasure and pain like heat in his blood. 

Thomas smirks, and curls his hand around Alex’s cock again, stroking him with tight strokes. He tugs the chain lightly, a threat more than anything but it has Alex’s breath stuck in his throat. 

He arches up into Thomas’ touches, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. 

Thomas strokes him a little faster, thumb swiping over the head of his cock, tiny tugs on the chain. 

“Thomas,” Alex pants, heat building under his skin. 

“Are you going to come, Alexander?” Thomas asks, voice like velvet. 

“Getting… there.” Alex opens his eyes, watches Thomas’ face. 

Thomas tugs on the chain, hard. 

“Ah!” Alex’s cock jerks in Thomas’ hand, orgasm building under his skin. 

Thomas lets go of Alex’s cock with a little laugh, leaves him untouched and aching. 

“Hey!” Alex glares at Thomas, and Thomas shakes his head. 

“You think I was really going to let you come that easily?” Thomas walks his fingers up Alex’s cock. “Come on Alexander, I thought you were smart.”

“Fuck you,” Alex snaps. 

Thomas yanks hard on the chain, making Alex’s body twist against the sheets again. 

“I’d be nice if I was you,” he murmurs softly. His fingertips stroke over the head of Alex’s cock, slick with precome. 

“Fuck you,” Alex repeats, whole body yearning for release. 

Thomas yanks hard on the chain again, bright shock of pain through Alex’s body that makes his cock twitch, spilling precome onto Thomas’ fingers. 

“If you want to come, I would strongly consider adjusting your attitude,” Thomas says. Drags his slick fingers down the length of Alex’s cock again. 

“Fuck you, let me come!” Alex bucks his hips up into Thomas’ hand.

Thomas wraps his fingers around Alex’s cock again, strokes him tight and fast, little tugs on the chain sending sparks of heat through him. 

“Is this what you want?” He asks, taunting. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Alex pants, pleasure rushing up fast, orgasm right there-

Thomas’ fingers close hard around the base of Alex’s cock. 

“Thomas!” Alex chokes out, thrashing on the bed. 

Thomas laughs. 

“Yeah right, Alexander.”

“Fuck you,” Alex snarls.

“Is that all you can say?” Thomas taunts, strokes his fingers back up Alex’s cock lightly.

“Fuck you,” Alex pants, burning up with need and pleasure. 

Thomas makes a soft sound of displeasure in his throat. 

“Fine, then. If you can’t cooperate, I’ll just look after myself first. Hands and knees.” Thomas lets go of Alex and sits up, leaving Alex aching and untouched. 

“No,” Alex says, refusing to move. 

“You are trying my patience,” Thomas says with a sigh. “Turn over, now, and don’t move, or you won’t be coming for the entire week.”

Alex glares up at Thomas, considering. 

Thomas yanks the chain again, and Alex inhales sharply. 

“I’m waiting…” Thomas says, twirling the end of the chain around his finger. 

Alex gives in, rolls onto his stomach and draws his hands and knees beneath him. 

“Good boy,” Thomas purrs. 

“Fuck you,” Alex snaps. 

Thomas yanks the chain harder, pain searing through Alex’s body.

Alex’s mouth drops open and his fingers dig into the sheets. Thomas’ hands work the first knot in the rope harness undone, and carefully pull it away from Alex’s body. It feels like a loss, and Alex can’t stop the small, desperate sound that leaves his lips as the ropes fall away. He’s left naked, bereft save for the thin chain hooked to his nipples.   
He hears the soft sound of a bottle opening, and then Thomas’ fingers, slick with lube, stroke down his crack. 

Alex moans and pushes back into the touch, desperate for contact. 

Thomas strokes his fingers over Alex’s hole, light, teasing touches until Alex is tilting his hips back, squirming under the touch, his cock aching hard and leaking onto the sheets. 

“Do you want my fingers, Alex?” Thomas taunts.

“Yes,” Alex pants, fingers tight in the sheets. 

“Say please.” Thomas presses the tip of one finger inside Alex, just enough to make him more aware of how empty he is, how badly he needs to be filled up. 

“Fuck y- please,” Alex changes his mind at the last second, gives in, desire winning out over stubbornness. 

“Good boy,” Thomas says, and he sinks one finger slowly inside Alex. 

Alex chokes on a retort, and simply moans and presses back into the incredible feeling of Thomas’ finger pressing into him, filling him up, the beginnings of a stretch that’s so sweet.   
Thomas pumps his finger in and out, slow, almost lazy. 

“Can you take another?” He asks. 

“Green,” Alex says, desperate for more. 

Thomas pulls his finger out, and presses in with two. He fucks Alex with them slowly, teasing, almost bored. 

Alex squirms under Thomas’ inattentive touch, tries to rock back so his fingers will brush over his prostate. 

Thomas spreads his fingers, stretching Alex gently, pumps his fingers in and out, continuing to avoid Alex’s prostate. The prep is thorough, efficient, but it leaves Alex wanting, the absence of both pain and real pleasure excruciating. 

“Can I fuck you?” Thomas asks as he pulls his fingers carefully out. 

“Green,” Alex says. 

Thomas grips Alex’s hip and tugs on the chain gently. The head of his cock nudges up against Alex’s hole, sinks in slowly. 

Alex moans, relishes the slow stretch of Thomas’ cock inside him, the sharp tug on his nipples, the firm dig of Thomas’ fingers in his hip. 

Thomas grips his other hip, pulling the chain tight, and starts to move his hips.

The sweet drag of Thomas’ cock inside Alex combined with the sharp tug on his nipples is intoxicating. Alex’s head goes loose on his neck and his mouth drops open, soft moan escaping his lips. 

Thomas’ hand snags in his hair, and yanks his head back, neck arched, tight pull on his hair. 

“Ah, Thomas,” Alex pants, stretched and pulled and filled. 

Thomas changes the angle of his thrusts and the head of his cock hits Alex’s prostate. Sparks burst in Alex’s vision and he moans loudly, mouth open, knuckles white in the sheets. 

“God, the sounds out of your mouth are a lot prettier when you’re taking a cock up the ass, should do this to you all the time.” Thomas gives Alex’s hair a yank, cock driving harder and faster into Alex, right into his prostate. 

Alex’s retort dies on a loud groan, belly tight with pleasure as his orgasm rushes back up at him. 

“Thomas, I’m-” Alex pants, just as Thomas gives the chain a good yank, shock of pain to Alex’s nipples. 

“Don’t you dare come Alexander,” he snaps, and reaches for Alex’s cock, sweet drag of pain on his nipples.

“I can’t- fuck!” Alex clenches around Thomas’ cock as he starts to come, Thomas’ fingers circling the base of his cock a second too late. Alex’s hips jerk, come spilling onto the sheets beneath him, waves of pleasure coursing through his body. 

Thomas goes still, fingers loose around Alex’s cock. 

“You did not just come without permission,” he says, voice flat. 

“S-sorry,” Alex pants. 

Thomas pulls out slowly, and the silence that follows Alex’s apology is deafening. 

“Sorry Thomas,” Alex says again, quiet, trembling with want of touch. 

“Turn over,” Thomas says, voice dead even. 

Alex complies, rolling onto his back, a little breathless and loose limbed. 

“Hold still. Can’t even wait until I’m ready to come, what a fucking disappointment,” Thomas sneers. He takes his cock in his hand, strokes himself hard and fast. 

Alex watches hungrily, wants to reach out and touch, wants to be connected to Thomas by more than just the thin chain running from his nipples to Thomas’ hand. He wants warmth and touch, hates this empty feeling he’s left with, burning shame that he couldn’t hold off his own orgasm long enough to be a good sub for Thomas. 

Thomas comes with a loud grunt, splashing hot ropes of come onto Alex’s belly. 

He sits back on his heels and looks down at Alex, and Alex looks back up at Thomas, feels cold and exposed all over again. 

His skin prickles with it, and he can feel his cheeks starting to burn. 

“Good boy, Alex,” Thomas says softly. 

It grates on Alex’s skin, and he gets up suddenly, come cooling on his belly. 

“You don’t-” he tugs the nipple clamps off, tosses them on the bed. “You don’t have to do that. The praise thing. It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m going to shower.” He stalks to the bathroom, shuts the door behind himself and turns on the water. He steps into the shower, puts his face to the spray and sighs shakily. The water pours over his head and shoulders, washes the trembling away, washes the needy feeling away. 

Or almost. 

By the time he gets out of the shower, scrubbed head to toe with the resort’s body wash, skin pink from the hot water, he feels reset. He towels off, hangs his towel, and pads back out into the room. 

Thomas is sitting on the edge of the bed, and he looks up sharply when Alex walks back in. 

“Are you okay, Alex?” He asks, genuine concern lining his face. 

“I’m fine,” Alex says. Roots around in his shabby bag for a clean pair of boxer shorts to sleep in. 

“Okay. If you need anything, let me know,” Thomas sounds a little lost, but Alex doesn’t turn around. He busies himself pulling the boxers on, and combing his hair, and after a moment he hears Thomas get up and head into the bathroom. 

Alex climbs into the bed closer to the window, careful to avoid the wet spot, and tugs the blankets up to his chin, back to the room. Closes his eyes, and waits for sleep to take him, ignoring the nagging empty feeling in his chest. 

“We can share…” Thomas says, still sounds lost, still sounds hesitant when he comes back and sees Alex in the used bed. 

“It’s fine,” Alex says, even though it’s not, even though his body craves the warmth of Thomas’ touch, needs to be held to completely reset on some deeper level. He hears Thomas get into bed, and then silence falls over the room. 

Alex lies still and tense, body yearning for touch, too stubborn to break and change his mind. He can feel tension in the air, Thomas’ breathing shallow and even. 

He loses count of how long they lie like that, still and guarded. 

“Alex,” Thomas says.

Long enough that Alex jumps at the sound of Thomas’ voice. 

“Get over here.”

Alex hears the blankets lift, and he swallows his heart and his nerves and he gives in. Gets up and slips into bed with Thomas, and lets Thomas pull him close, back to chest. 

Thomas tucks the blankets in around them, and kisses the back of Alex’s head lightly.

“That’s better. Go to sleep. I can’t sleep with you over there, not after doing a scene like we did,” Thomas says softly. 

It gives Alex an out, lets him give in without really giving in. He sighs, and closes his eyes. 

“Okay,” he says, grateful. His body relaxes, Thomas’ warmth soaking into his skin, and suddenly sleep comes as easy as breathing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter contains: rope harness, safeword use, vibrating butt plugs, semi-public touching, butt plug in public, choking, breathplay, cock rings,

Alex wakes slowly, curves against the soft stroke of fingers down his side before he realizes he’s being touched. 

He mumbles soft protest at waking, and presses back into the warm body behind him, eyes closed, body relaxed.

“Morning, Sugar,” Thomas says, voice slow and sleep thick.

Alex stiffens, had forgotten for a moment just who he was snuggled up to, naked and loose limbed from the night before. He burns a little at the rude shock, fully awake, body tensing.

“Aw now, don’t be like that Alexander,” Thomas purrs, hand stroking back up Alex’s side. “We’re only just getting warmed up. Are you ready to get up?”

Alex grumbles, and feels an odd mixture of desire to burrow back into Thomas and go back to sleep, and desire to fling himself out of bed and away from him. He’s harboured the secret of his attraction to Thomas behind clenched teeth and insults for so long that it feels strange and terrifying to have it laid bare like this.

“Come on, up we get, breakfast time.” Thomas taps Alex playfully on the ass and slides out of bed.

Alex rolls into the warm spot he left behind and pulls the blankets over his head with a yawn, unwilling to leave the warmth of the bed for the cold and snow just yet. The sheets smell like Thomas, and Alex resists the urge to bury his nose in, tries to quell the softening in his chest.

“Up!” Thomas tugs the blankets down off Alex’s body, leaving him abruptly naked.

“Fuck!” Alex curls into a ball and glares at Thomas, the tag on his collar jingling softly.

“I need you to get up,” Thomas says sharply.

“It’s cold!” Alex whines, tries to grope for the blankets.

“It is not, come on Alexander, breakfast time,” Thomas retorts.

“I don’t eat breakfast,” Alex whines back, but he knows when he’s beaten, and sits up, shivering in the early morning air.

“Nonsense, breakfast is good for you,” Thomas snaps. He turns back to his suitcase, and Alex stands up, stretches slowly.

“I just need coffee,” he mutters, and stumbles to his duffel bag for clothes. 

Half asleep, he doesn’t notice Thomas move until Thomas’ arms are sliding around him and Thomas drops a kiss to his shoulder. 

“Not so fast. I’m going to harness you again, okay?” Thomas’ fingers find Alex’s nipple, tease it to hardness.

Alex shivers, and presses back into Thomas again, could get used to the feeling of his back against Thomas’ broad chest.

“Green,” he says, cock twitching in interest. 

“Good. Turn around, that’s it,” Thomas guides Alex to turn, and Alex notices a small whiteboard on the hotel desk, three tallies in purple marker.

“What’s that?” He asks as Thomas slides the rope behind his neck. 

“Mm, I need somewhere to keep track of your disobedience,” Thomas says lightly as he winds the rope down Alex’s body, knots and loops until Alex is securely bound in an intricate purple harness. 

“My- what- you can’t just-“ Alex splutters.

“Shh. I can do whatever I want, sweet pea,” Thomas murmurs as he winds the rope around the base of Alex’s cock and between his legs. “I will punish you appropriately at the end of the week.”

A shiver of anticipation runs through Alex at the threat. 

“Yes sir,” he breathes. 

“Good boy,” Thomas ties off the harness and steps back to survey his work. 

Alex shifts in the harness, relishes the feeling of soft rope against his skin, hugging him gently.

Thomas steps back in, cups Alex’s chin and tips it up gently.

“I really could get used to this, Alexander,” he murmurs, and it sounds so soft and open and honest that Alex’s heart skips a beat and he has to swallow it back down into his chest.

Thomas leans in and kisses Alex, slow and thorough, his tongue stroking into Alex’s mouth so purposefully that Alex fears Thomas will taste all his secrets right there on his tongue. He melts into Thomas, naked and shivering, and kisses him back like he needs it.

Is starting to feel like he does.

 

-

 

Alex drinks his coffee at breakfast, seated between Lafayette and Hercules. Thinks nothing of it until he looks up and sees Thomas watching him with narrowed eyes.

He stares back at Thomas for a long moment, then shrugs and goes back to drinking his coffee, painfully aware of the purple rope intricately wound around his body.

 

-

 

The morning passes with skiing lessons, and Alex is soaked, frozen, and exhausted by the time he makes it back to the room after lunch. Meetings in an hour for the rest of the day, and he’s almost grateful because it means he won’t have to go back outside into the cold today.

He steps into the room and Thomas is already there, perched on the bed.

There’s a new tally on the white board.

“What- I haven’t even seen you all morning!” Alex splutters.

“You didn’t eat any breakfast,” Thomas says mildly. 

“I- I told you I don’t eat breakfast, I never eat breakfast!” Alex protests as he strips off his cold, wet clothes and hangs them up, goosebumps all over his skin.

“And I told you to eat breakfast. I also told you to dress warmer,” Thomas replies. He unfolds from the bed and pass across the room to the whiteboard. Marks another tally as Alex watches, shivering and naked save for the rope harness.

“But I-“ Alex swallows his protest as Thomas looks over at him with an arched brow. Shame burns under his skin and he can feel his cheeks flush with it. 

“You did not listen, that’s what,” Thomas says.

Alex huffs, and plucks at the rope, feels suddenly suffocated by it.

“Can you get this off me so I can shower?” He snaps.

Thomas walks over, settles his hands on Alex’s hips.

“Attitude,” he chides.

“Please,” Alex all but snarls.

Thomas swats him on the hip, and Alex’s skin stings.

“Alexander,” Thomas snaps.

“Yellow, Thomas, get me the fuck out of this harness,” Alex is cold, and he doesn’t want to stand here and shiver and think about how Thomas can afford to send a goddamn limo to drive Alex to the resort for the sake of a stupid bet when Alex can’t even afford proper winter clothing. He doesn’t want to think about how Thomas would never even understand the discrepancy, how he would probably not even bother to try.

To his credit, Thomas doesn’t press, he just frees the knots and unwinds the rope from Alex’s body, quick and efficient.

“Are you alright?” He asks, voice softening.

“I’m fine I just want a fucking shower,” Alex snaps, and he marches into the bathroom and shuts the door with a snap.

He could stand under the hot spray of water forever. The noise and the warmth soothes him, steadies him. He lets the water run over his body until the chill subsides and his skin is pink from the heat.   
When he finally convinces himself to get out of the shower and towel off, Thomas is waiting on the bed, rope coiled neatly, tapered purple plug beside it.

“Can I plug you for the afternoon?” Thomas asks.

Alex’s breath catches and he nods.

“Green,” he breathes, and climbs up onto the bed on his hands and knees. He crawls over to Thomas, straddling his lap, suddenly needs the reassurance of touch.

“Mmm, that’s better Sugar,” Thomas purrs. He reaches up and cups Alex’s cheek.

Alex softens and leans in, presses a slow kiss to Thomas’ lips and sinks down against the warmth of his body.

Thomas wraps his arm around Alex, holds him close and kisses him deeply.

Alex moans softly, melts into Thomas’ warmth and tries not to think about how he could get used to this. 

Thomas licks into his mouth, teases another soft groan from his lips. He trails his fingers down Alex’s spine and down to tease slow circles over his hole.

Alex presses back into the touch, nips at Thomas’ lower lip impatiently as his cock thickens out against Thomas’ belly.

Thomas grins into the kiss and pulls back.

“Gonna finger you open, make you wear a plug all afternoon so you can’t stop thinking about me while we’re in meetings. So you’re ready for my cock the second we get back in our room,” Thomas murmurs. He lets go of Alex long enough to slick his fingers with lube, then pulls him back into a hurried kiss.

Thomas’ slick fingers stroke down Alex’s crack and swirl teasingly over his hole again. 

Alex groans into Thomas’ mouth and rocks back against his fingers. 

Slowly, Thomas teases the top of one finger inside Alex, pumps it in and out and slowly sinks in until he’s curling it against Alex’s prostate and rubbing lightly.

“God, Thomas,” Alex pants. He rocks his hips, cock rubbing against Thomas’ stomach.

“Ah-ah,” Thomas stills his finger, waits for Alex to stop moving. “None of that, you haven’t earned the right to come yet.”

Alex groans and buries his face in Thomas’ neck.

Thomas pulls his finger back, and carefully slides a second one in alongside it. He fucks his fingers in and out slowly, teasing over Alex’s prostate and stretching him out.

Alex pants with the effort of holding himself still, cock leaking onto Thomas’ sweater.

“That’s it. I’m going to plug you now,” Thomas murmurs. He pulls his fingers out slowly, and presses the plug to Alex’s hole.

Alex huffs softly against the stretch as Thomas works the plug into place. 

“Comfortable?” Thomas presses the heel of his hand against the base of the plug and rocks it, knocking it into Alex’s prostate.

Alex chokes on a groan and nods into Thomas’ neck. 

“Words, please,” Thomas chides, and he rocks the plug again.

“Green,” Alex pants.

“Good,” Thomas says. He strokes his hand down Alex’s back soothingly, and taps him on the hip. “Up. I’m putting your harness back on and then we have to go.”

Alex stands reluctantly, hyper aware of the plug shifting in his ass, cock hard and aching for relief.

Thomas stands slowly, and looks down at himself. Points to the wet spot on his sweater.

“Really Alexander?” He drawls.

Alex shrugs, unashamed.

“You can’t really blame that on me,” he retorts with a cheeky grin.

Thomas laughs and shakes his head. He strips his sweater off and tosses it over the back of a chair, then picks up the rope and steps over to Alex.

“That’s what dry cleaners are for,” Thomas says as he slides the rope over Alex’s shoulders and begins working him into another elaborate harness, knots and loops down his body and between his legs. 

He pauses to give Alex’s cock a couple of loose strokes, and swipes his thumb over the head, gathering a bead of precome.

Slowly, Thomas pushes his thumb into Alex’s mouth.

Alex huffs softly through his nose and curls his tongue around Thomas’ thumb. He sucks it clean of precome, tasting himself and Thomas’ skin. 

Thomas pulls his thumb free and flicks the tag on Alex’s collar gently, the soft jingle sending a shiver through Alex.

“Get dressed, we have to go,” Thomas says, but he leans down and kisses Alex slowly for a long moment before stepping away to choose a new sweater.

 

-

 

Halfway through the first meeting, the plug starts to vibrate.

Alex nearly falls out of his chair, and covers his yelp of surprise with a fake coughing fit.

Beside him, Hercules shoots him an odd look.

Alex straightens in his chair and takes a steadying breath. 

The plug vibrates right against his prostate, and Alex has to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from groaning. He shifts in his seat, trying to get relief as his cock fills out in his jeans. Around him, the meeting carries on.

Alex shoots a glare at Thomas, who is studiously not looking in his direction.

After a moment, the plug shuts off again.

Alex sags in his chair in relief.

“Are you okay?” John leans over and whispers in his ear.

Alex nods, blushing, and straightens again.

A moment later, it starts up again.

Alex grits his teeth and tries to breathe through his nose. He stares resolutely at Washington, tries to focus on what his boss is saying as the plug presses right into his prostate, vibrating gently. It shuts off again after what feels like forever, and Alex sags in his chair, weak with relief. 

He picks up his glass of water and takes a sip, and the plug starts up again, vibrating harder than it was before.

Alex chokes on his water and jerks, water spilling down his front.

“Hamilton…” Washington pauses, and looks right at Alex. “Are you quite alright?”

Alex flushes, ready to kill Thomas.

“Yes sir, I’m sorry sir,” he stammers.

Washington fixes him with a _look_ and goes back to whatever he was talking about, and Alex realizes that he honestly has no clue.

The vibrator shuts off, and doesn’t start up again until just before the meeting ends.

Alex grits his teeth against a groan and rocks his hips down into the pressure, can’t help it, achingly hard and needy, trying desperately not to give his situation away to the rest of the room.

The meeting adjourns, the vibrator shuts off, and Alex has to sit for a moment and take deep breaths before he can get up and follow John and Aaron to dinner.

At dinner, the plug starts vibrating again, and doesn’t let up until Alex is in very real danger of coming in his jeans. He drops his forehead to the table top, nails digging into his palms and tries to breathe through it, tries to wrestle some semblance of control over his body.

“Alex?” John puts a hand on his shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Alex nods without looking up, and bites his lower lip hard.

“What’s wrong?” Lafayette asks from John’s other side.

“Fucking… Jefferson… fuck,” Alex grits out.

Lafayette dissolves into laughter, and Alex can hear John’s confused ‘huh?’.

“Maybe you should go rest Alex?” Aaron suggests mildly from across the table.

The plug shuts off, and Alex goes weak with relief.

“Yeah…” he looks up, flushed, sweaty. “I’m not feeling so good,” he fibs. 

Still, it takes him a moment to compose himself enough that he can stand shakily.

“Do you want me to walk you back to your room?” John asks, concerned.

Lafayette whoops with laughter, and John swats him, annoyed.

“Gil what’s wrong with you, Alex is sick it’s not funny!” 

Lafayette shakes his head and drops his face into his hands, shoulders shaking.

“No, thanks John, I’ll be fine,” Alex says, and starts for the door of the dining hall before John can join him.

Out in the hallway, Alex sags against the wall for a moment, relieved to finally be away from his colleagues and friends. Out of sight of anyone, he reaches down and palms himself through his jeans. He can’t help the groan that escapes his throat at finally having some real friction on his cock, and pushes his hips up into the touch.

“Oh my, aren’t we naughty…” Thomas’ voice snaps Alex back to the present, and he opens his eyes to see Thomas standing in front of him with his arms folded across his chest. How he moved so silently, Alex doesn’t know, but he flushes in embarrassment.

“Can’t even wait until I get you back to our room tonight, thought you’d sneak out and get yourself off, is that right?” Thomas steps in towards Alex, a fraction of an inch between their bodies.

“No, Thomas,” Alex shakes his head. “I just needed-“

“Needed what, to come?” Thomas sneers. 

The plug starts vibrating again.

Alex groans and rocks back against the wall, doesn’t even try to hide how desperately hard and needy he is.

Thomas bats Alex’s hand out of the way and closes the space between them, pressing his own hand into Alex’s crotch and rubbing his hard cock.

“Yeah,” Alex breathes. He arches into the touch, eyes closing in bliss.

“So impatient.” Thomas’ hand finds the damp spot on Alex’s jeans, right over the head of his cock. He rubs his palm over it, firm, slow touch designed to tease.

“Please,” Alex pants, doesn’t care that they’re right outside the dining hall, that anyone could walk out and see them at any second.

Thomas laughs and steps back.

The plug turns off again.

“Yeah right Alexander. Come on, let’s go,” he crooks a finger, and heads back towards their room.

Alex swallows hard, and follows.

He steps into the room behind Thomas and lets the door click shut. 

“Get undressed and on the bed,” Thomas says. 

Alex strips off his wet clothes and scrambles onto the bed. He lies on his back and watches Thomas make two more marks on the white board.

“Hey! What-“

“One; you nearly gave yourself away in our meeting. Two; touching yourself in the hallway, really, Alexander?” Thomas explains. He digs in the suitcase and comes back to the bed.

“I need to come Thomas,” Alex says. He squirms on the bed, desperate for touch.

“Hush,” Thomas says as he climbs onto the bed beside Alex.

His fingers good down Alex’s chest and Alex arches into the touch with a whine. 

Thomas undoes the knots, carefully pulls the rope harness away from Alex’s body. He strokes his hand back up Alex’s soft stomach, takes his time running his palm over Alex’s bare skin.

“Look at you, so hard and desperate for me…” Thomas murmurs. He drags his hand back down, gives Alex’s cock a slow stroke. “Be good for me, baby, and I’ll give you what you need.”

Alex cants his hips up into Thomas’ touch, head tilting back.

“Please,” Alex pants.

Thomas lets go of his cock and strokes his hand back up, slips his fingers under the collars and tugs firmly.

Alex turns to liquid under Thomas’ touch, heat searing through him at that tug and everything it suggests.

“Mmm… do you trust me?” Thomas asks. He gives the collar another tug.

“Yeah,” Alex breathes, and his heart skips a beat as he finds that it’s true.

“Good,” Thomas says. He lets go of the collar and closes his hand loosely around Alex’s neck. “I’m going to choke you. Colour?”

“Green,” Alex says, and his cock jerks against his stomach, dripping precome.

Thomas closes his hand right, cuts Alex’s air off.

Alex’s nostrils flare and he arches against Thomas’ hand. 

Thomas lets go, and strokes his hand back down Alex’s body.

“I’m going to put a cock ring on you, can’t have you coming too early again,” Thomas gives Alex’s cock a few tight, quick strokes.

He slips the silicone ring over Alex’s cock, settles it right around the base of his cock.

Alex can feel his mind going fuzzy, trapped between the urgent aching of his cock and the gentle stroke of Thomas’ hands over the body. 

Thomas scratches his nails down Alex’s belly, and pushes Alex’s legs apart.

“Gonna replace this plug with my cock and fuck you, would you like that?” Thomas presses his fingers against the plug and rocks it, then carefully works it out of Alex.

“Yeah, I want your cock in my ass, Thomas, want to feel you come deep inside me,” Alex pants.

He feels empty, needy, cock trapped and aching in the ring.

Thomas shifts up Alex’s body, leans in and kisses him deeply. 

Alex moans into the kiss and presses up to Thomas. He feels grounded by the hard warmth of Thomas’ body against him, needs it to steady him.

Thomas strokes his hand back up Alex’s body and curls his fingers around Alex’s throat. He presses down, cutting off Alex’s air.

Alex goes still and pliant under Thomas, breath caught in his lungs. Thomas fingers press into his throat and he’s suddenly aware of how fragile his bones really are, his beating pulse under the tips of Thomas’ fingers. 

His lungs start to burn and he pushes against Thomas’ hand.

Thomas lets go, and Alex takes a deep gulp of air.

“Good boy,” Thomas purrs. He shifts between Alex’s legs and lines his cock up with Alex’s hole. 

“Tell me you need it, Alexander. Tell me how bad you want my cock, how much you want me to fill you up with my come,” Thomas tugs on the collar again, tags jingling.

“Please, fuck me Thomas, I need your cock, I need your come,” Alex pants.

Thomas grins, and closes his hand around Alex’s throat again, cuts off his air as he rolls his hips and drives his cock slowly into Alex’s hole. 

Alex chokes on a moan as the air is cut off from his throat. His heart skips a beat in his chest as Thomas’ cock stretches and fills him inch by thick inch.

“Oh fuck, Alexander,” Thomas groans as he bottoms out inside Alex, hand tight around his neck. 

Alex’s lungs burn and his cock jerks in its ring, heat running through his whole body. 

His vision starts to blur at the edges and he tosses his head back and forth, lungs screaming for air. 

“Hey, hey, stay with me,” Thomas whispers, cock buried deep inside Alex, body close over him.

Alex’s lungs burn and his vision swims but he looks up and all he can see is Thomas’ face and his heart stutters in his chest.

Thomas lets go, and Alex sucks in a deep gasp of air, heart pounding.

“Good,” Thomas says, and he pulls back and thrusts into Alex with a slow stroke of his hips.

Alex moans, little dizzy, every sensation magnified. 

“Ready?” Thomas asks, pets his fingers down Alex’s throat before curling them around his neck again, fucking him slow and deep.

“Green,” Alex breathes, and Thomas closes his fingers and Alex’s breath catches in his throat and gets stuck under Thomas’ hand.

His body bucks beneath Thomas and he clenches around him, eyes on Thomas’ face. His mouth drops open, gaping for air, none to be had. 

“You look so fucking pretty like this,” Thomas pants, and he lets go and starts to fuck Alex in earnest.

Alex takes huge gulps of air, legs wrapped tight around Thomas’ hips. He’s dizzy and his heart races and everything feels like too much and not enough all at once.

Thomas’ cock hits right into his prostate with every thrust, and Alex is held right on the brink of orgasm by the cock ring, cock aching for release. He looks up at Thomas, anchored only by the way Thomas is looking at him, like he’s the most beautiful thing Thomas has ever seen. Ordinarily, he’d laugh at the notion, but like this, with Thomas’ cock buried inside him and Thomas’ moaning loudly into the space between them and Thomas’ fingers resting delicately at the base of his throat and his heartbeat racing in his ears… 

He can believe it. 

Thomas leans in, presses a searing kiss to Alex’s open mouth. He tugs at the collar again, draws a low moan from Alex’s mouth.

“Tell me how much you want my come, Alex,” he breathes. 

A shiver runs through Alex at the sound of his nickname on Thomas’ lips. 

“Please,” he whispers, voice hoarse, “please, Thomas, I want to feel you come inside me, come inside me, fill me up, make me yours.”

Thomas moans in appreciation and curls his fingers back around Alex’s throat. 

“Maybe I should pull out again, finish on your stomach. I’m not sure you’ve earned it,” Thomas says, and he closes his fingers again. 

Alex stills, staring up at Thomas, can’t breathe, dizziness rushing back in as his lungs ache for air. 

“God, look at you,” Thomas breathes. 

The world narrows to the screaming in his lungs and the dizzy rush in his head and the sound of Thomas’ voice in his ears. 

Thomas lets go again, and Alex sucks in a ragged breath, starts begging again immediately.

“Please, please no, come inside me Thomas, need to feel you,” he pants, voice hoarse. 

“Alexander, shit, gonna come,” Thomas’ hips stutter and still, and he moans loudly as he comes, filling Alex with splash after splash of wet heat. 

Alex’s hips jerk and his breath catches in his throat as he clenches around Thomas’ cock. He moans at the exquisite feeling of Thomas coming deep inside him. 

He lets his legs drop from around Thomas’ hips as Thomas shifts to pull carefully out, stroking his hand lightly down Alex’s stomach. 

“Do you want to come now, Alexander?” Thomas asks softly. 

“Yes please,” Alex says, breathless, needy. 

Thomas slips the ring off Alex’s cock and sets it aside, and Alex sags in relief. He’s too lightheaded to push up and look down at Thomas, dizzy and heavy limbed. 

Thomas’ tongue licks a stripe of heat up Alex’s cock that makes his hips jerk and his mouth fall open on a gasp of pleasure. 

“Thomas!” Alex is already close, wants his cock buried in Thomas’ mouth for far longer than he knows he’s going to last this time. 

Thomas’ lips close over the head of his cock and he sucks firmly.

“Thomas, Thomas, fuck, I-” Alex twists, can feel his orgasm rushing up at him and doesn’t want to come yet but desperately needs it. 

Thomas moans and swallows him down, lips tight around Alex’s cock. 

Alex’s hips jerk and there’s no way he can hold back with the incredible sensation of Thomas’ plush lips and wet mouth around his cock. He cries out as he comes hard, spilling down Thomas’ throat, wave after wave of pleasure crashing over him. 

Spent, Alex goes limp on the bed, panting and breathless. The room spins around him, and he wants to get up, wants to shower, wants to reset, but he can’t bring himself to move. 

Thomas shifts back up the bed and strokes a hand down Alex’s body and it feels like fire and Alex flinches. 

“Don’t,” he rasps, that simple touch too much after everything. 

He swallows, and the collar jingles gently, and he lets his head loll to the side to look at Thomas. 

Thomas, who looks lost and confused and concerned, hand poised to touch but not touching. 

“You did so good, you were such a good boy for me Alex,” Thomas says gently.

“Stop, stop it, you don’t have to do that,” Alex snaps. 

“How… how can I care for you?” Thomas asks, voice low. 

“Just…” Alex shakes his head, “don’t, it’s fine. I just… need to shower.” He pushes himself up, feels loose and wobbly and blissed out and just needs quiet.   
Thomas sits up quickly and reaches for him. 

“Alex, are you sure you should shower alone after something like that?” he asks, concern etched across his handsome face. 

Alex flinches away from it, feels claustrophobic and too hot. He stands up on wobbly legs and sways.

In an instant, Thomas is beside him, hand under his elbow, steadying him.

“I’m sorry Alex, I’m not letting you shower alone,” Thomas says firmly, and before Alex can do anything, Thomas catches him behind the knees and picks him up.

“Put me down!” Alex snaps, but he hooks his arm over Thomas’ shoulder anyways.

“No,” Thomas says, and he carries Alex to the bathroom and sits him on the counter like Alex is a child. “Stay put.”

Thomas turns on the shower and tests the temperature before turning back to Alex. With gentle fingers, he unbuckles Alex’s collar and sets it on the counter, tips Alex’s chin up with gentle fingers to look at his neck.

Alex closes his eyes and lets him, breath held against the touches, doesn’t want to admit how nice it feels to let Thomas do this for him. 

“I’m going to help you shower, will that be okay?” Thomas asks.

Alex considers. He can’t deny that he wants Thomas near. 

“Yes,” Alex answers after a moment. “Just… you don’t have to do the whole ‘good boy’ thing, the stroking and touching… it’s too much after.”

“Okay,” Thomas says. He offers Alex his hands, and Alex takes them and slides down from the counter. 

Thomas helps him into the shower and closes the door behind them.

The hot water is soothing and Alex turns his face into the stream for a moment, eyes closed, water running over his face.

After a moment, he shakes the water out of his face and leans back against Thomas’ body. 

Thomas wraps his arms around Alex loosely and presses a soft kiss to the side of his head.

Alex closes his eyes again and sighs, and he lets himself soak in the warmth of Thomas’ body and the hot water. 

“Can I-“

“No,” Alex cuts Thomas off.

“Alex-“

“Shut up, Thomas,” Alex says, exhaustion in his voice.

Thomas sighs and says nothing.

Alex revels in the silence, twists in Thomas’ arms to hook his arms around Thomas’ neck. He lets his head rest against Thomas’ chest. 

Thomas holds him loosely, and they rest like that for a long moment.

Alex lets himself melt into Thomas, lets his mind drift off in the warmth and the silence.

“Alexander?” Thomas asks quietly.

“Mm?” Alex doesn’t move.

“Can I wash you, or is that too much?” 

“It’s okay now,” Alex says softly.

Thomas sets a facecloth and pours some vanilla bourbon body wash onto it. He carefully washes Alex’s body with slow, smooth strokes. 

Alex feels warm and relaxed, loose and liquid and glad for Thomas holding him up. Without fawning touches and praise, Alex finds the attention soothing, a balance that he hadn’t known existed.

“There. Let’s get dried off and into bed okay? Big day tomorrow, I need you rested,” Thomas says.

“Okay,” Alex says, and he lets Thomas help him out of the shower and bundle him up in a towel.

Alex brushes his teeth and towels himself dry, lets Thomas fasten the collar back around his neck with gentle fingers. 

They climb into bed, and if Alex doesn’t think too hard about it, just lets his body relax, he melts into Thomas as easy as breathing. Almost as if it was exactly where he was meant to be all along.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter contains: watersports, light pet play, cock warming, come as lube, edging, and a teeny bit of humiliation
> 
> sorry for the delay on this one guys :*

The morning passes uneventfully. Alex graduates from the bunny hill and manages a successful, if slow, trip down one of the easier runs with help from Hercules and the Schuyler girls. 

John and Lafayette ski by hand in hand, sending up a fluffy spray of snow and followed closely by Aaron on a snowboard. 

Alex can almost forget that he’s cold and wet, can almost forget that under his clothes he’s rigged up in another one of Thomas’ intricate rope harnesses. Can almost forget that at the end of the day he goes back to his shared room with Thomas.

Can almost forget that he doesn’t hate any of it nearly as much as he’s supposed to. 

His heart skips a beat as he thinks about Thomas, still asleep when he woke up this morning, face soft and relaxed. He looks smaller, when he’s sleeping, when he’s not puffed up with arrogant bluster. Alex couldn’t help but brush his fingertips over Thomas’ plush lips, watch the way his brow creased slightly in his sleep. 

He can’t deny that one on one, with nothing between them but heat and body and need, Thomas is a whole lot more than just tolerable. 

-

Mid afternoon, Thomas cuts Alex off on the way to the bathroom, catches his wrist and squeezes so that Alex can feel his bones grind under Thomas’ fingers. 

“No,” he says, low and heated into Alex’s ear. 

A shiver runs through Alex’s body and he tries to tug away. 

“What do you mean no, I’m going to the bathroom.” he snaps. 

“I wasn’t aware ‘no’ had multiple meanings,” Thomas drawls, fingers tightening around Alex’s wrist. 

Alex looks around, hallway empty save for the two of them. Lafayette and John are at the spa for the afternoon with the Schuyler girls, and Alex thinks he remembers Hercules saying something about spending the afternoon in the pool with Aaron. 

“Thomas I have to piss,” Alex says, impatient. He has a book back in the room that he’s planning to curl up with for the afternoon, looking forward to getting out of his cold, wet clothes and spending a free afternoon warm by the fire instead of out in the snow. 

“And I said no,” Thomas repeats, slow, like Alex needs help understanding. 

Alex huffs, and shifts from foot to foot. 

“Okay… when can I go?” He asks, and he looks up at Thomas, cock stirring at the heat in Thomas’ gaze. 

“When I say so,” Thomas says with a shrug, like he cares not at all. 

Alex’s breath catches in his throat. He nods, hasn’t ever played with this sort of thing before, but he can’t deny that he’s _thought_ about it. Can’t deny that the idea intrigues him. 

Can’t deny that with the weight of Thomas’ eyes on him, the weight of Thomas’ fingers around his wrist, yeah, he wants to be _good_ in a way he’s never really felt before. 

“Colour?” Thomas asks, gentle.

“Green,” Alex breathes.

“Good,” Thomas says. He lets go of Alex’s wrist and steps back.

-

Thomas doesn’t let Alex out of his sight all evening. 

Alex reads for a while, until the pressure of his full bladder is too much for him to concentrate. He paces by the window for a while, and wishes they were in their room so he could whine at Thomas, but Thomas is sitting with James and John Adams, and the last thing Alex wants to do is go over there.

He struggles through dinner, pushes his food around his plate more than anything, and tries to resist squirming too much.

Still, Lafayette watches him with narrowed eyes, and Hercules elbows him sharply after Alex’s squirming nearly knocks Hercules’ fork off his plate.

The sharp elbow to his side nearly makes him wet himself right there in the dining hall, and the yelp he strangles is anything but subtle.

“What is wrong with you?” Hercules asks.

“Sorry, still not feeling that great I guess,” Alex responds, voice strained and blushing hard.

“Stop fidgeting,” Herc says, and nudges Alex again playfully.

Alex groans, and normally he’d dig his elbow right back into Hercules and end up play fighting with him over their plates until John joins in and It turns into a full scale food fight that has Lafayette fleeing the table to safety. 

“Herc stop it, Alex are you sure you’re okay? You look flushed,” John leans over the table and touches his fingers to Alex’s arm, and Alex tugs away from the gentle touch, too aware of Lafayette’s eyes on him.

“Yeah, I’m fine, just not one hundred percent yet,” Alex huffs.

He shifts in his seat, trying to find some position that will afford some relief.

“Maybe you should have some water?” John offers. He picks up his glass and offers it to Alex, who pales and shakes his head.

“No, no thanks,” he stammers.

Lafayette chokes on a sound that bears suspicious resemblance to laughter, and John swats his arm.

“Could you stop?!” He snaps, annoyed.

“Maybe you should go rest,” Hercules suggests.

“Yeah,” Alex says, but he doesn’t get up because he’s not sure if he can move without pissing himself, and he can see Thomas watching him from across the dining hall, and he knows he doesn’t have permission to get up and leave yet.

Half an hour later, Thomas gets up and leaves.

Alex waits a couple minutes before excusing himself from the table. He waves off John and Hercules’ offers of a walk back to his room, and heads for the door as quickly as he can.

Thomas is lounging in bed against the copious amount of cushions, scrolling through his phone, the picture of contentment.

Alex doesn’t even pause, he crawls up onto the bed and into Thomas’ lap, plasters himself to Thomas’ body and nuzzles his face into Thomas’ neck. 

“Thomas, Thomas please, I have to piss so bad,” he whines.

Thomas smooths a hand down Alex’s back, slow and reassuring.

“Not yet darling,” he says absently.

Alex groans and slips a hand between their bodies to palm his cock. He’s not sure how much longer he can wait, not sure how much longer Thomas is going to make him wait.

“Stop that,” Thomas says, firm but gentle.

Alex whines.

“I can’t, Thomas, I need to go,” Alex pants.

“Hush. You’re fine.” Thomas puts down his phone and clips a black leather leash to Alex’s collar. Tugs gently at it, making the tags jingle. “Get down now.”

Alex complies, climbs off the bed and stands beside it, leash in Thomas’ hand.

“All the way,” Thomas snaps.

Alex frowns, then sinks to his knees between the beds, hands in his lap.

“Good boy,” Thomas sits up and looks down at Alex, reaches out and strokes a hand over his head like he’s petting a dog.

Alex bristles. 

Thomas cups his fingers under Alex’s chin and tips his chin up.

“That’s it, sweet pet. I need you to have some water, and then I need you to keep my cock warm for me for a while, do you think you can do that?” Thomas coos, voice sugar sweet. 

Alex swallows hard. He shifts on his heels and nods because he wants to be good. Doesn’t want to think about the effect drinking water will have on his bladder. 

Thomas stands up and tugs at the leash. 

Alex goes to stand, and is stopped by the look on Thomas’ face, eyebrows raised, eyes wide. 

“Did I tell you you could stand?” Thomas asks. 

“No,” Alex says, and he sinks back down to his hands and knees. 

Thomas steps away, and Alex follows on his hands and knees, awkward and a little humiliated. He follows Thomas to the armchair by the fire and kneels in front of it. Waits patiently while Thomas sits down and arranges himself in the chair. Loose, relaxed, in charge. He looks as if the whole world belongs to him and he knows it, and Alex sits uncomfortable and off balance and desperate at his feet. It makes something deep inside Alex burn, lights him up with an intensity he’s never felt before. 

He feels riveted, drawn to Thomas’ every move like Thomas has somehow become his true North. 

Thomas picks up a water bottle and undoes the cap. He leans down towards Alex and cups his chin, tilts his head up. 

Alex’s cheeks burn and he’s hyper aware of the collar around his neck, the softness of Thomas’ fingers under his chin. 

“Drink up baby,” Thomas says, so soft, so silky sweet. He puts the bottle to Alex’s lips, and Alex drinks obediently. 

He watches Thomas with wide eyes, drinks until he can’t swallow fast enough, and tries to pull away.

Water spills over his chin, and Thomas lifts the bottle away, eyes narrowing in disapproval. 

He sets it down and leans over, picks up the purple marker and makes another tally on the whiteboard. 

“Don’t spill, Alexander,” he chides. 

“Sorry,” Alex whispers. He shifts uncomfortably, bladder full, acutely aware that drinking more water is only going to make the situation worse.

Thomas holds the water bottle to Alex’s lips again, tips it up. 

Alex parts his lips carefully, drinks the rest of the water down. He watches Thomas watch him closely, feels something heavy and warm settle over him. It makes him want to go liquid at Thomas’ feet, plaint to his every whim in a way he’s never felt so strongly before. 

“Good boy,” Thomas murmurs, warm and heartfelt, as he pulls the empty water bottle away. “Go on now, get me hard and warm my cock like a good pet.”

Alex whines and leans forward, pressure heavy in his bladder keeping him from floating completely away on the heavy warmth buzzing through him. 

He noses Thomas’ cock through his jeans, leans in and rubs his cheek over Thomas’ inner thigh, denim rubbing against his face. He nuzzles at Thomas’ cock, closes his eyes and moans softly when it stirs against his face. 

He reaches up, unzips Thomas’ jeans and pushes the denim out of the way. Presses his open mouth to Thomas’ hardening cock through his silky boxer briefs. 

Thomas’ hand settles on his head, fingers scratching lightly at his scalp. 

Alex mouths the length of Thomas’ cock, finds the head through his briefs and suckles it through the damp fabric. 

Thomas shifts, spreads his legs farther apart for Alex, and tugs gently at his hair. 

Alex tugs Thomas’ boxer briefs down and watches his hard cock bob free. Shifts forwards and licks delicately across the tip before sucking the head into his mouth. He moans at the taste of Thomas’ precome on his lips and tongue, huffs softly through his nose as he swipes his tongue over the head, sucking gently. 

“That’s enough now,” Thomas says, and tugs Alex’s hair harder.

Alex whines, but he shifts forwards, lets Thomas’ cock fill his mouth and push into his throat. Breathes through his nose and lets himself relax into it. 

“Tap twice on my leg if you’re comfortable,” Thomas says.

Alex taps obediently. 

“Good. If you need to stop, tug on my jeans,” Thomas untangles his fingers and strokes Alex’s head. “Do it now so I know you understand.”

Alex tugs twice on the hem of Thomas’ jeans. 

“Good boy.” Thomas settles back into his chair and sighs contently, hand resting idly on Alex’s head. 

Alex lets himself drift on the heavy warmth in his veins. Eyes closed, the weight of Thomas’ cock in his mouth and throat grounding. His hands rest loose in his lap, and if he didn’t have to piss so badly, he could stay like this forever. 

The conflicting lazy relaxation of warming Thomas’ cock and the sharp urgency in his bladder tugs his mind back and forth, makes his skin burn with need and desire. 

Thomas scratches at his scalp occasionally, but mostly ignores him.

Alex doesn’t know how much time passes before he simply _can’t_ sit still anymore, desperate to piss and about to lose control. He tugs at the hem of Thomas’ jeans, and pulls off his cock.

“Thomas,” he pants, can barely think straight.

“What’s wrong Alexander?” Thomas asks, looking down at him, book in one hand.

“I can’t, I have to piss, Thomas please,” Alex clenches his hands in his lap, fingers digging into his palms.

“Mmm. Come on, you’re a good boy, you can hold it a little longer can’t you?” Thomas teases.

“No,” Alex lays his cheek on Thomas’ thigh and squeezes his eyes shut. “No, I can’t, Thomas I’m gonna piss myself, please.”

“Are you going to make a mess on the carpet like you’re not even house broken?” Thomas sneers.

“Yes,” Alex hisses through clenched teeth, “Please let me go.”

He’s shaking, he’s seconds away from losing it. He shifts, and loses control for a split second, hot rush of wetness in his underwear. He whimpers and presses his face into Thomas’ thigh, thinks for a moment that Thomas really is going to make him wet himself right here on the floor.

“Please,” he whispers.

“Alright. Come on,” Thomas takes his time fixing his jeans and underwear, and stands up as if he has all the time in the world. Stretches languorously. “Up. You can walk on two feet now.”

Alex scrambles to his feet and stuffs his hands between his legs, desperately trying to hold back.

“Come,” Thomas yanks on the leash and heads towards the bathroom.

Alex scrambles begins him, trying not to lose control, trying to be good, seconds away from being unable to help himself.

Thomas takes his time undressing. Makes Alex stand in the middle of the bathroom and wait, leash dangling from his collar. 

“You can take off your socks and shirt,” he says once he’s completely naked.

Alex complied awkwardly, fumbling out of his socks and his t-shirt and tossing them aside. He’s left in his jeans and underwear.

Thomas opens the shower door and steps inside, beckons Alex to join him.

Alex gets in, and tips his chin up so Thomas can unbuckle the collar and reach around him to set the collar and leash on the counter.

He closes the shower door and pulls Alex close against him, tilts his chin up for a kiss.

Alex whines into it, feels like he’s going to die if he doesn’t get to piss right now. He parts his lips easily for the slow stroke of Thomas’ tongue, kisses him back hungrily, whole body quaking.

“Please,” he whimpers against Thomas’ lips. “Please Thomas.”

“Please what? Mmm it’s so sweet to hear you beg, Alexander,” Thomas purrs.

“Please let me piss,” Alex pants, cheeks burning.

He curls his hand against Thomas’ chest, presses his face into his shoulder, open mouthed.

“Hmm…” Thomas spreads his fingers on the small of Alex’s back, holding him close. He fits his other hand between them and cups Alex’s cock, squeezes lightly.

Alex gasps, and presses his face into Thomas’ shoulder, and he can feel himself starting to lose control.

“Thomas please, please, I can’t, I’m gonna, fuck, I-“ he babbles, senseless, desperate, right on the edge of losing it completely.

“Okay,” Thomas says, and he presses his hand firmly against Alex’s cock through his jeans. “You can go.”

The sound Alex makes is otherworldly, halfway between a sob and a moan as he gives in and lets go.

Relief floods through him, makes him weak knees and slack jawed. He’d fall if Thomas wasn’t holding him up, and he can’t stop the soft groans of relief that escape his throat.

“That’s it, oh sugar, you did so good,” Thomas croons, and for the first time the words don’t rub Alex the wrong way. They just make him sag against Thomas, boneless with relief as he soaks his jeans, Thomas’ hand and leg, the shower floor…

He’s shaking, wants nothing more than to drift away on the warm fog that’s threatening to overtake his mind, exhaustion creeping in at the edges as he finishes. He nuzzles into Thomas’ shoulder, wants to be closer and closer, cock stirring against Thomas’ hand.

“Good boy, you’re so sweet for me. Do you think you can do one more thing for me before I make you come? Is that okay?” Thomas asks.

Alex nods against Thomas’ chest. He feels loose and liquid, mind fuzzy. His wet jeans are clinging to his body, beginning to grow uncomfortable. 

“Good, I promise it’s easy. Can you get out of your wet clothes first? I’m going to turn the water on okay, make it nice and warm? You did so good,” Thomas strokes his hand up and down Alex’s bare back, soothing and reassuring, and Alex melts into it, wants to drift away on Thomas’ touch, on his voice, doesn’t think he’s ever been this strung out before in his life. 

The water turns on and Thomas cradles him close, shielding him from the spray until the water warms up. He guides Alex under the water, helps him peel his soaked jeans and underwear off and discards them in the corner to deal with later. Unwinds the rope harness, and tosses it on top of the wet clothes. 

“How’re you doing sweet pea?” Thomas asks gently.

“Green,” Alex breathes. He’s clinging to awareness by a thread, but he feels warm and relaxed and safe, a little breathless at the aching hardness of Thomas’ cock against his belly. “You’re so hard,” he murmurs against Thomas’ skin. 

“Mmm, you were so desperate, so helpless, I love seeing you like that, I love having you at my mercy like that baby,” Thomas murmurs, voice low and hot. 

Alex shivers, cock twitching at Thomas’ words. He nuzzles against Thomas’ chest and lets his hand drift between them to stroke tentative fingers up Thomas’ hard length. Knows he’d let Thomas bring him back to that desperate, aching, unraveling edge over and over again. 

“I want to make you come,” Alex says. He trails his fingertips over the head of Thomas’ cock and he wants to give something back, needs to be more than just an obedient pet for a moment. 

Thomas rocks his hips gently, pushes his cock into Alex’s fingers. 

“I’d love that,” he murmurs. He steps back, bringing Alex with him so he can lean against the wall. 

Alex curls into Thomas’ side and wraps his fingers around his cock. Looks down and watches as he gives it a long, slow stroke. His head is already glistening with precome, shaft hot and achingly hard in Alex’s hand. 

Alex watches as he strokes Thomas, thumb swiping through the heavy bead of precome and slicking it down Thomas’ length. He tightens his fingers, moans softly at the way Thomas’ fingertips dig into his back and he huffs a little breath. 

He tightens his hand, gives in to temptation and strokes Thomas’ cock harder and faster, watches the contrast in skin tones, listens to the soft moans that escape Thomas’ lips. He feels grounded, real again as he pauses to rub his thumb over the head of Thomas’ cock, again and again. 

“Alexander,” Thomas groans, and it sounds like a prayer and Alex’s skin burns up with it and he moans softly in response and returns to stroking Thomas with quick, purposeful strokes until Thomas’ hips are rocking gently and Thomas is moaning loudly, precome leaking over Alex’s fingers. 

“I’m gonna come Alex, catch it in your hand,” Thomas pants. 

Alex grins and slides his fingers to the base of Thomas’ cock. Squeezes hard.

“Oh, fuck, oh you little shit,” Thomas groans. “Don’t do that again.”

Alex nuzzles Thomas’ chest in apology, and returns to stroking his cock, tight and fast. Brings his other hand down to rub over the head, slow and teasing. 

“Alex,” Thomas pants. 

Alex slides his hand down to the base of Thomas’ cock and cuts of his orgasm again, firm squeeze. 

“You- fuck,” Thomas bucks his hips in frustration. 

Alex kisses his chest, and returns to stroking, fingers tight around the silky heat of Thomas’ cock. He rubs his palm over the slick head, cupped and ready to catch Thomas’ release. 

“Gonna let me come this time?” Thomas snaps, fingers digging into Alex’s lower back. 

Alex shivers, and nods.

“Yeah,” he breathes, and his voice sounds strange and tight and far away to his own ears, and he tightens his hand and feels Thomas’ cock pulse, and strokes him a little faster until Thomas is making these perfect little choked off moans. 

Alex’s cock jerks against Thomas’ thigh as Thomas’s hips push up and he starts to come, spilling hot into Alex’s waiting hand with a loud groan. 

Alex strokes him through it, parts his lips to bite down gently on Thomas’ chest and keeps stroking until Thomas is twisting away. 

“Come here sugar, let me make you come,” Thomas tugs Alex to him, Alex’s back to his chest, and deftly swipes his come out of Alex’s hand and into his own. “Gonna jerk you off with my come. You’ve been so good, you deserve it, sweet pet.”

Alex groans and lets his head loll back against Thomas’ shoulder. 

Thomas curls his fingers around Alex’s cock, slick and wet with his own come. 

“Please,” Alex pants, reaches up and hooks his arm around Thomas’ neck to anchor himself. 

Thomas strokes Alex’s cock, and Alex damn near comes undone right then and there. His hips buck into the touch and his mouth drops open.

He moans loudly, held up only by his arm around Thomas’ neck and Thomas’ arm around his waist.

Thomas strokes him with firm, quick strokes, little twist of his wrist that sends heat shooting up Alex's spine. 

It’s deliciously simple after everything else, and Alex loses himself too it, hips jerking into Thomas’ hand, Thomas’ firm body against his back, Thomas’ voice in his ear telling him how good he looks, how amazing he sounds as he falls apart in Thomas’ hand.

It doesn’t take long before he cries out wordlessly, hips bucking as he comes, spilling over Thomas' fingers. 

Thomas strokes him through it and lets him go, cradled him close and steps carefully forward so Alex is under the warm shower spray.

“How’s the temperature?” Thomas asks quietly.

“Hotter,” Alex turns in Thomas’ arms and melts against him, breathing hard.

Thomas adjusts the water, and cradles Alex loosely against him.

“Better?” He asks.

“Yeah,” Alex says.

They lapse into silence.

Alex grounds himself in the spray of hot water against his back, the sound of Thomas’ heart beat, the feeling of his chest rising and falling.

He’s half asleep by the time he allows Thomas to wash him and help him out of the shower, loose and pliant in Thomas’ arms as he lets him dry him off and buckle the collar back on. 

He brushes his teeth sleepily, and sits on the counter to wait for Thomas, eyes closed, barely holding his head up.

Doesn’t protest when Thomas simply scoops him up and carries him to bed, tucks him in tight and settles in behind him to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter contains: the unfortunate demise of a banana, blindfolds, bondage, hand cuffs, sensation play, wax play, ice play, riding crops, overstimulation, also i'm pretty sure i made up a word in this chapter and i don't care.

“Make sure you eat breakfast this morning,” Thomas hisses to Alex as they step out of their room. 

“I do,” Alex grumbles, yawning. He adjusts the purple scarf around his neck, makes sure it’s covering the collar. 

“Coffee is not a food group,” Thomas says firmly. He closes the door behind them, looks both ways, and leans down to press a searing kiss to Alex’s mouth. 

Alex bats him away. He’s tired, and the last thing he wants to do today is go back outside into the cold and snow again, get all wet and chilled. He feels over sensitive, blown wide open from last night and not quite back to centre yet. 

“It is so,” he snaps. He turns away, starts to head down the hall because he needs coffee to function, can’t really get his brain working until he’s had at least two cups of it. 

“Get back here,” Thomas snags Alex by the back of the shirt and pulls him back. 

“Fuck off,” Alex mutters.

“Don’t walk away from me, asshole,” Thomas snaps, and he pulls Alex into another kiss, licks into his mouth possessively. 

Alex groans and relents, wants to spend all day melted into Thomas’ arms in the warmth of their room. He kisses Thomas back, stretches up on his toes to deepen the kiss, ignores the way his heart skips a beat. 

Thomas pulls back and lets Alex go.

“Eat some real breakfast today,” he says, no nonsense.

Alex rolls his eyes and walks away, intent on getting the largest coffee he can find. 

Thomas falls into step beside him, and they part ways when they reach the dining hall. 

Alex drops onto the bench next to Hercules and stifles another yawn. 

“Feeling better today Ham?” Herc asks. 

Alex shakes his head. 

“Nah. I might just chill today, stay out of the cold,” he relishes the idea of a day curled up by the fire with his nose in a book, away from the noise and boister of the common areas and away from the chill and damp of the ski hill. 

“That might be a good idea,” John says, watching Alex with a concerned frown. 

Alex pours himself a coffee and holds the mug under his nose, relishing the warmth of the mug against his hands, and the smell of fresh coffee in his nose. 

He drinks it slowly, and pours a second cup, listening to his friends banter good naturedly around him. 

As he lifts the second mug to his lips, he catches Thomas’ eye at the next table over. 

Thomas is glaring at him pointedly, and raises his eyebrows when their eyes meet. 

Alex raises one eyebrow and takes a sip of his coffee. 

Thomas mouths ‘eat something’. 

Alex huffs and sets down his coffee, reaches into the fruit basket in the middle of the table and grabs a banana.

Without looking away from Thomas, Alex peels the banana slowly, almost seductively.

“Alex… what are you doing?” John asks. 

Alex hears him as if from very far away, and ignores him. He stares straight at Thomas and opens his mouth wide, slowly slides the banana into his mouth. He fits as much of the banana into his mouth as he possibly can, and pointedly bites it off. 

Thomas’ eyes widen, and then he makes a gesture of defeat and drops his head into his hands with a visible sigh. 

Alex chokes down the banana, chewing it as best he can with his mouth stuffed full, and swallows triumphantly. 

John and Hercules stare at Alex like he’s lost his mind, and Lafayette dissolves into yet another fit of laughter. 

Alex glares at him, and lobs the banana peel at his head. 

Lafayette shrieks, and slaps the banana peel away. It goes flying, and lands on the floor right in front of Mr. Washington. 

He pauses, and levels Lafayette with a _look_.

“Really, Lafayette?” He says drily. 

He bends down and picks up the banana peel, drops it in the garbage can, and keeps walking. 

“I hate you Alexander,” Lafayette whines as he drops his face into his arms, blushing furiously. 

John pats Lafayette consolingly on the shoulder, stifling his laughter. 

Alex swallows the remainder of the banana, refills his coffee mug for the third time, and raises it in Thomas’ direction in a silent toast. 

Thomas shakes his head wordlessly, eyes narrowed. 

-

Alex takes refuge in the room after breakfast, knows if he goes out on the ski hill Lafayette will surely have it in for him after the banana peel incident. 

The quiet is blissful. Alex listens to the crackling of the fire as he curls up in the arm chair with a book and a fourth coffee. It feels strange to be in the room without Thomas, and Alex realizes with a start that it’s the first time this entire trip that he has been in the room without Thomas. He shrugs it off and opens his book, doesn’t want to think about how easy it turned out to be to sink into the role of subbing for Thomas. How much he enjoys being put on his knees and taken apart by Thomas. 

Hell, he has to admit Thomas knows what he’s doing. 

That’s all there is to it. 

He pushes all thoughts of Thomas aside and lets himself get caught up in his book. Relishes the peace and quiet, the warmth. Doesn’t envy his friends their skiing one bit. 

He wakes up disoriented and cramped to the sound of the door opening. He blinks and yawns, stretching. The book falls off his lap. 

“You stayed in today?” Thomas asks. 

“Mmm,” Alex uncurls, stretching over the arms of the chair, and blinks sleepily at Thomas. “Yeah. I don’t really… do… snow.”

Thomas smirks and sheds his winter gear, then walks over to Alex. Reaches down and strokes his fingers through Alex’s hair. 

“You were very naughty at breakfast today,” Thomas says, voice low. He makes two marks on the whiteboard, and takes Alex’s book from him. 

“I ate,” Alex protests, peering sleepily up at Thomas. 

“Only to sass me,” Thomas replies sternly. 

Alex shrugs. 

“You didn’t say I had to eat with a specific attitude,” he counters. 

“I didn’t think I would have to provide detailed instructions for such a simple task,” Thomas shoots back. 

“You shouldn’t make assumptions, asshole,” Alex teases. 

Thomas makes another tally on the whiteboard and flicks Alex’s nose. 

“Enough. Get naked and get on the bed for me, we’re going to play a game” he sets the book down and steps away from Alex, peeling his shirts off over his head. 

Alex sits up and stretches, and he can’t help but watch Thomas walk away, fire light flickering over his broad, muscular back. 

“Now, Alexander,” Thomas commands. 

Alex rolls his eyes, but he’s grinning, and he gets up slowly. He strips out of his clothes and tosses them at his duffel bag, then stretches out on his back on the bed. Thomas still has his back turned, so Alex strokes a hand down his own body, plucks at the now familiar soft ropes that wind around him, and gives his cock a few light strokes. 

Thomas turns off the overhead lights, leaving them bathed in warm firelight that flickers and dances on the walls. 

He turns around and raises an eyebrow at Alex. 

“Did I tell you you could touch yourself?” He asks as he strips slowly out of his jeans and socks, left dressed just in dark plum boxer briefs that hug his body deliciously. 

“Nope,” Alex chirps cheerfully. 

“Are you going to stop?” Thomas asks pointedly. 

“Nope,” Alex grins, and he fists his cock tighter, cants his hips upwards as he strokes himself in earnest. 

Thomas sighs, and pads back over to the whiteboard. Makes two more marks there. 

“Why do you have to be so bad Alexander,” Thomas says regretfully. 

“You bring out the worst in me,” Alex teases, and he rubs his thumb over the head of his cock, groans a little at the sensation. The simplicity of his own hand, his own familiar touch and rhythm, is enticing after the intensity of this week. 

Thomas glances at him, and adds a third tally.

“Stop touching yourself,” Thomas says, and he walks over to the suitcase.

Alex ignores Thomas, strokes his hand back down and starts stroking himself in earnest, fully hard now.

Thomas snatches his wrist, stops his hand.

“Let go,” Alex whines.

“Nope,” Thomas replies. 

Before Alex can react, there’s a soft ‘snick’ sound, and a handcuff snaps shut around his wrist.

Thomas stretches Alex’s arm above his head, snags his other wrist and cuffs them together around the headboard. 

“Thomas!” Alex twists, but he’s securely cuffed in.

“I didn’t have to cuff you, Alexander, but you couldn’t listen…” Thomas trails off, and deftly slips a blindfold over Alex’s eyes.

“Hey!” Alex squirms, world gone black.

“Colour?” Thomas asks.

“Green,” Alex snaps, without hesitation.

“Good.” Thomas grabs Alex's ankle, loops a length of rope around it, and secured it. Does the same with the other one and leaves Alex spread eagled on the bed, arms stretched taut above his head.  
Silence.

Alex breathes, waits, focuses on the desire heavy in his cock and belly, the stretch in his body, the soft silk of the blindfold. 

He waits and waits. 

He can hear the sound of Thomas’ feet soft on the carpet.

“I’m leaving the room for two minutes. I’ll be right back, I’m just going down the hall,” Thomas says.

“Okay,” Alex answers, trusts Thomas not to leave him for long.

He hears the door open, hears it close again. 

Waits in silence for what feels like forever, and jumps when the door opens again.

“Colour?” Thomas asks again. 

“Green,” Alex says. 

“Good boy,” Thomas says. He sets something down on the bedside table, and steps away again.

Alex waits.

He hears Thomas set something else down on the bed nearby. Hears the soft schick sound of a lighter, and the quiet crackle of a candle catching.

“Now,” Thomas says softly, “I’m going to touch you, and you’re going to guess what I’m touching you with.”

A shiver runs through Alex at the instruction, and he nods.

“Yes sir,” he breathes, soft.

“Good,” Thomas says.

Out of nowhere, Thomas’ fingers stroke up Alex's cock.

Alex jumps in surprise, little sound of startled pleasure escaping his mouth.

“Fingers,” he says. 

Thomas laughs, a soft laugh that warms Alex’s bones. It sounds like more depth than Alex would have ever given Thomas credit for, before this week, and it sounds like affection, and it feels like a place Alex could maybe call home. 

“Good. You weren’t meant to guess on that one, but you’re right,” Thomas wraps his fingers around Alex’s cock and gives him a few dry strokes. Desire curls in Alex’s belly and he moans softly, focus narrowed to the feeling of Thomas’ hand stroking his cock. He arches his hips up, squirms under the touch. 

“Don’t you dare come without permission tonight Alex,” Thomas says firmly. Punctuates it with a squeeze to his cock. 

“Okay,” Alex says, but he can’t help but rock his hips up gently into Thomas’ touches. 

Thomas lets him go, leaves Alex untouched and drifting aimless in the quiet darkness. 

For a long moment, all Alex can hear is his own breathing. All Alex can feel is the touch of the sheets underneath him, the handcuffs at his wrists, the ropes on his ankles, the silk blindfold over his eyes. 

He waits, and waits, until the darkness starts to feel disorienting, until he can feel a little choke of panic rising up, completely irrational, and he twists gently against his bonds.

“Thomas?” He asks. 

No response, but a moment later Thomas’ fingers return, carefully unwinding the rope harness from Alex’s body. There’s something almost ritualistic in the way he moves, soft and slow, delicate touches, that makes Alex’s breath catch in his chest. 

Thomas pulls the harness free, and Alex feels naked and bereft without it, so much space for him to breathe into without the comforting confinement of the ropes around his body.   
For a long moment, nothing happens. 

“Thomas?” Alex asks again into the silence.

“Shh,” Thomas says. Strokes soothing fingertips down the bare expanse of Alex’s torso, then pulls his hand away. 

Alex swallows hard, and lets out a shaky breath. 

The next thing that touches him is light and soft, wispy as it strokes up his inner thigh and ghosts just next to his cock.

“What is it?” Thomas asks. 

It strokes up Alex’s side, brushes across his nipples.

“A feather?” Alex guesses.

“Good guess,” Thomas returns his hand to Alex’s cock and strokes him, tight and firm. “Is this what you want, sugar? You want to come, easy and simple, just off a hand?” 

“Yeah,” Alex pants, rolls his hips up into Thomas’ touches. 

“Mm. Keep guessing right then sweetheart,” Thomas lets go, leaves Alex achey and wanting again.

Something cold and wet lands in the center of Alex’s chest. 

He swallows a yelp and arches off the bed, shiver running through his body. 

Thomas trails it down Alex’s body, lets it rest in his belly button for a moment, melting and leaving Alex cold and wet. 

“Ice, it’s ice, get it off me!” Alex yelps, twists beneath the cold. 

Thomas laughs and drops a kiss to Alex’s belly, just above the ice cube. He trails his mouth, hot and wet up Alex’s torso slowly, ice cube following in his wake. He takes his time, kissing and licking and sucking, running the ice over Alex’s body. 

“Ice, and your mouth, get it off you asshole!” Alex tugs at the handcuffs, and moans when Thomas drags his teeth over his nipple. 

Alex arches off the bed as Thomas kisses and nips his way back down Alex’s body, ice cube following in his wake. Down his belly and hip, Thomas’ mouth sucking and tonguing at Alex’s inner thigh. Alex jerks against the cuffs when Thomas licks a slow, hot stripe up his cock. 

“Oh god, oh fuck, don’t you dare put that ice on my cock-” Alex babbles, caught between Thomas’ mouth sucking teasingly at the head of his cock and the ice stroking up his inner thigh. 

Thomas smirks, and Alex tries to twist away but he’s caught, and the ice strokes up the length of his cock, startlingly cold. 

“You fucking bastard,” Alex yelps. 

Thomas huffs a soft laugh, and swallows Alex’s cock to the root, enveloping it in the tight wet heat of his mouth. 

Alex moans, hips jerking, the heat of Thomas’ mouth overwhelmingly _good_ after the cold ice. 

Thomas bobs his head, lets his tongue flicker over the head of Alex’s cock, then pulls off and leaves Alex untouched again. 

Alex whines, breath catching in his throat, the absence of touch unbearable after all that sensation. 

Something rough rubs over his shoulder. 

Alex frowns, huffs through his nose in surprise at the sensation. It trails over his chest and nipple, scratchy and abrasive.

“Uh…” Alex squirms beneath it, cock twitching, “one of those, uh… foot… things?” He asks.

Thomas laughs. 

“What? No, Alexander,” he replies. 

“Uhh…” Alex presses his hips down into the bed, doesn’t want… whatever it is… anywhere near his cock. Can’t help the little whimper that escapes him when Thomas strokes it lower and rubs it over his hip bone. “A cheese grater?” He frowns, knows that’s not quite right, but can’t think of what else it might be.

“Wrong,” Thomas says, laughing, and it goes away. 

Alex huffs, tries to even his breathing out, and waits for whatever is going to touch him next. 

The feather returns, soft and light, brushes over his chin and down his neck. The tag on the collar jingles softly. 

Thomas strokes the feather down Alex’s torso, runs it up and down his cock and teases the insides of his thighs with it.

“Feather,” Alex whispers.

“Good boy,” Thomas sets the feather down, and his fingers return to Alex’s cock, stroking and teasing. The uncomplicated familiarity gives Alex a moment to breathe, and he moans loudly in appreciation. 

Thomas takes his hand away again, and brushes something cool and silky soft up Alex’s side. 

“What’s this?” he asks. 

“Uh… rope?” Alex guesses, his head spinning at the quick succession of different sensations. 

“No,” Thomas says. Trails it down Alex’s chest and torso slowly, runs the soft fabric over his cock. 

Alex squirms, feels breathless and strung out, mind following the silky fabric over his own body, awareness drawn into the smallest of motions, the softest of touches. 

“A tie?” He asks. 

“No,” Thomas says, and it’s gone.

Alex stills and waits. 

Soft leather strokes up his cock. 

“What’s this?” Thomas purrs. Strokes Alex’s hipbone with it. “Don’t get this one wrong, sugar.”

Alex whines, tries to focus on the sensation, soft leather stroking over him, his heart hammering in his ears. 

Thomas strokes it back down the length of his cock. 

“I’m waiting,” Thomas says.

“Belt,” Alex blurts out, can’t bear the tension anymore, quivering in his bonds. 

“Wrong,” Thomas says, and snaps it gently against Alex’s thigh, sudden sharp sting making Alex cry out. 

Alex twists, panting in the sharp red aftermath of the blow, cock twitching against his stomach. 

“Try again,” Thomas says. 

“Uhh…” Alex can’t string words together, can’t get his mind to connect to his tongue, can’t get the words out. 

It snaps into his other thigh, a little harder, hot burn and sudden pain. 

Alex moans softly, doesn’t know whether to twist into or away from the contact. 

“What is it?” Thomas asks, impatient. Snaps it against Alex’s thigh again, harder this time. Doesn’t let Alex get a breath in before hitting him again, three times in a row. 

Fire bursts across Alex’s vision and his mouth drops open. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he pants, belly tight with pleasure. 

Thomas strokes the soft leather up Alex’s cock, and pulls it away. 

“Colour?” He asks, voice soft.

“Green,” Alex whines. 

“Good boy,” Thomas places a lingering kiss on Alex’s chest, and then the ice is back, following Thomas’ mouth down Alex’s torso, cold and wet and jarring. 

Alex lets out a strangled sob, jerking against his handcuffs. 

Thomas rubs the ice over Alex’s belly, mouths at his hip. 

“Take it off,” Alex begs softly, cold ice melting and running down his side. 

“Mmm,” Thomas settles the ice in Alex’s bellybutton, and leaves it there. 

“Thomas!” Alex pleads.

“Want something warmer, sweetheart?” Thomas asks. 

“Yeah,” Alex pants. 

Thomas huffs a little laugh, and liquid heat sears down the center of Alex’s chest and belly. Alex’s breath catches and he writhes beneath it, gasping for air. 

“Colour,” Thomas snaps. 

“Green, what the fuck is that?” Alex wails. 

“Shh,” Thomas soothes. He strokes his hand slowly down Alex’s side, runs his fingers down Alex’s hip, and strokes his cock. 

The heat fades slowly, and Alex is left trembling, hips rocking up into Thomas’ touches. 

“Guess, baby,” Thomas prompts. 

Alex focuses on the stripe of warmth in the center of his body, the gentle pull on his skin. 

“Wax?” He asks.

“Very good,” Thomas says, “You still have to guess three things. Ready?” 

Alex nods, feels like he’s being pulled in a million different directions, conflicting feelings and sensations leaving him raw and needy. 

The rough, scratchy thing returns, runs lightly up his inner thigh for a split second before it’s gone, replaced by silky softness that Thomas wraps around Alex’s cock and strokes him with. Then that disappears too, and the leather is back, tapping a line from Alex’s belly button to his lower lip, then stroking back down. 

It lifts away, and bites into his side sharply, the sudden burst of pain drawing a yelp from Alex’s mouth. 

Then it too is gone, and another stripe of hot wax spills down Alex’s chest and belly, just to the left of the first one. 

Alex twists and jerks in his bonds, sweat breaking out over his whole body. 

“Crop,” he pants. “The leather thing.”

“Good,” Thomas says. 

The silky fabric returns, dragging zig zag and slow across Alex’s body for a moment. 

Thomas doesn’t give Alex a moment to catch his breath after that, goes from soft silk to rough scrape to hot wax to ice to rough scrape to the sudden bite of the crop, on and on and on with no rhyme or reason until Alex is shaking in his bonds, pain sharp around his wrists, panting and strung out. 

“Think, Alexander,” Thomas whispers, the first sound he’s made in god knows how long. 

Alex whimpers, tears streaking down his cheeks. 

“What’s this?” Thomas wraps the silky fabric around Alex’s cock and strokes him with it again. 

“I don’t know,” Alex sobs. He tosses his head back and forth, feels like he’s coming apart at the seams. “Scarf?” He suggests. 

“No, but closer,” Thomas says. 

The silky material disappears, and another stripe of wax across Alex’s belly sets all of his nerve endings on fire again. He cries out, body arching off the bed. 

“Shhh,” Thomas soothes again. Strokes his hands down Alex’s sides slowly. 

Alex takes a shaky breath, tries to follow the slow, firm stroke of Thomas’ hands but can feel himself unraveling fast. 

“Easy, that’s it baby, I’m almost done with you. You did so well,” Thomas murmurs. 

Ice touches to Alex’s chest again, and Alex lets out a strangled sob. 

“Shhh, it’s almost over, hold on a little longer, I’m going to make you come,” Thomas whispers. 

He kisses down Alex’s chest, dragging the ice behind him, slow, lingering line of kisses and sucks, melting ice raising goosebumps on Alex’s over sensitive skin. 

His lips find the head of Alex’s cock and he sucks for a moment, then swallows Alex’s cock to the root in one quick motion. 

Alex twists his hands in the cuffs, grabs onto his own fingers and holds on for dear life, his hips bucking up into Thomas’ mouth. 

Thomas pulls off again, replacing his mouth with a slow stroke of the ice cube, then swallows Alex down again. 

Alex groans, arching and twisting as Thomas tugs him back and forth between heat and cold, the delicious silky heat of his mouth alternating with the cold sting of the ice cube, over and over and over again until Alex is right on the verge of coming. 

“Thomas, Thomas,” Alex pants, needy, desperate, breath coming in ragged sobs. 

“Shh, I’m putting the ice away, I’m gonna let you come now,” Thomas murmurs, lips against the head of Alex’s cock. 

“Please,” Alex wails, hips jerking at Thomas’ words. 

Thomas shifts, and Alex moans softly at the feeling of Thomas’ cock lining up against his own, slick with lube. 

His long fingers wrap around both of their cocks, and he starts stroking with tight, fast strokes. 

“Come on baby, you can come, show me what a good boy you are,” Thomas murmurs, fist tight around their cocks as he strokes, slick sounds filling the room. 

“Thomas!” Alex’s hips jerk as his orgasm slams into him, hot ropes of come splashing onto his stomach as pleasure wrings him out. His vision goes white beneath the blindfold, body shaking as he sobs through his orgasm. 

Thomas keeps stroking, his fingers tight, strokes fast, too much after so much sensation. 

“Thomas, Thomas, stop, stop, it’s too much,” Alex begs, twisting and trying to ease the sensation, Thomas’ hand keeping him hard. 

His whole body feels on fire, every touch unbearable. Pleasure pools again in his belly, unbearable and sharp, and Thomas strokes faster, fingers tightening. 

Alex pants and sobs, caught between pleasure and over stimulation, cock achingly hard in Thomas’ hand. 

“One more time Alexander, I know you can do it,” Thomas says. 

His voice is like an anchor, and Alex clings to it desperately.

“Come on sugar,” Thomas says, and he punctuates it with a choked off groan, hand speeding up as his cock pulses against Alex’s and he starts to come.

Hot ropes of come spill onto Alex’s belly, and Thomas’ moans fill his ears. 

Alex comes again, sudden and blindingly intense, adding to the mess on his stomach. 

Thomas strokes him through it, then lets him go, makes quick work of undoing the handcuffs and ties around Alex’s ankles. 

“You did so good Alexander. Shhh, here, I’m going to bring you to the shower, okay?” Thomas speaks quietly as he works. 

Alex lies still and shakes and shakes, tears tracking down his cheeks, swimming in darkness and the lingering touches of a thousand different sensations. 

Thomas slides his hands under Alex’s shoulders, lifts him carefully, and cradles him against his chest. 

Alex lets his head rest on Thomas’ shoulder, loose and unhinged. He’s loosely aware of Thomas picking him up and carrying him, still enveloped in darkness. He hears the sound of the shower turning on, and slumps against Thomas when he sets him down on the counter. 

“Okay. I’m going to take off the blindfold. I have the lights dimmed, but it might still be too bright for you,” Thomas says. 

The silk blindfold falls away from Alex’s face. 

Alex opens his eyes carefully, and blinks in the soft light of the bathroom. Thomas’ hand is shading his vision carefully.

“How’re we doing?” Thomas asks. 

“Okay. I’m okay,” Alex says softly. 

Thomas lowers his hand slowly. 

“Ready to shower?” he asks. 

“Yeah,” Alex breathes, quiet. 

Thomas unbuckles the collar and sets it on the counter, then lifts Alex and steps into the shower with him. Sets him carefully on his feet. 

Alex leans into Thomas, closes his eyes and lets the warm water run over his back. It’s almost too much after so much, but Alex stays still and breathes through it, leans into the solid warmth of Thomas’ body. 

Thomas says nothing, just stands still with one arm loose around Alex’s waist. 

Alex drifts in the quiet for a long time, just breathing and trying to find his center. By the time he finally feels ready to move, the water is beginning to cool. He pulls back and peers up at Thomas. 

“I need… I need a few minutes. That was… a lot,” he says quietly. 

“Alright. It’s okay Alex, take all the time you need. I’ll get into bed, and you come join me when you’re ready, alright?” Thomas says softly. He lets his arm drop so Alex can stand on his own. 

“Thank you,” Alex says. 

Thomas leans in and kisses him softly, then steps out of the shower. 

Alex takes his time, washes himself slowly and carefully, letting the cooling water soothe his body, calm his singing nerves. The quiet and space is blissful, and he closes his eyes, lets the water drown out everything else, soothe his heartbeat and his sensitive skin until he feels like he can breathe properly again. 

At long last, he dries off and brushes his teeth. Buckles the collar back on, tag jingling softly, and pads into the bedroom.

Thomas lifts up the covers, blinking sleepily in the firelight. 

Alex slips into bed, back to Thomas’ chest, and melts into Thomas’ loose embrace. 

"What were the last two things?" He asks as he settles in, eyes closing as Thomas tucks the blankets back in around them. 

"Sandpaper, and my underwear," Thomas answers. 

"Sandpaper?" Alex repeats. 

"Mmm."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains: foursome, swinging, blindfolds, hand cuffs, corner time, double penetration, ball gag, spit roasting

Alex wakes up slowly, feels a deep exhaustion in his bones that makes him want to roll over and go back to sleep, cradled warm in Thomas’ arms. 

He pulls back to look at Thomas’ face, softened in sleep. He doesn’t know what to make of the side of Thomas’ he’s seen this week. The attentive, thorough, caring dominant who is careful and almost loving. He hadn’t expected it, hadn’t been ready for his guard to slip like it has, an instinctive response to the calm security Thomas shows. 

It’s an energy he’s never seen in Thomas in public, but he’s struck by the fact that he’s never been alone with Thomas before, not really. Not in a way that would allow them to be anything but guarded. 

And anyways, did he ever give Thomas the choice? 

Looking at Thomas now, Alex wonders if maybe things could have been different between them. If he wasn’t so hell bent on fighting, if he didn’t take everything as a challenge. 

He feels a twinge of regret that the week is almost over. He’s exhausted from being put through his paces on fast forward, mind still a little foggy. He feels blown wide open, raw and vulnerable and shaken loose. 

Realizes with a start that maybe he could get used to this. 

Thomas shifts against him and stretches lazily, long body loose and warm from sleep. 

“Morning darlin’,” he drawls, voice sugar soft and sleep thick. 

Alex closes his eyes, tries to draw composure from somewhere and finds he doesn’t have much to draw on. 

“Hey,” he says, quiet, and gets out of bed.

He dresses quietly, and Thomas gives him his space, pausing only to fix the purple scarf after Alex puts it on. 

“There. Are you warm enough?” He asks. 

“Yes,” Alex says, too sharp. 

Thomas raises an eyebrow, but lets it slide. 

\--

Alex steps back into the room late in the evening, soaking wet and freezing. He strips out of his wet things and hangs them on the back of the door to dry, shivering. He can’t stop his teeth from chattering.

“I thought you said you were warm enough,” Thomas says slowly. 

Alex shrugs. 

“I lied,” he says, grumpy from the cold and the wet, in no mood to humor Thomas. 

“Tsk. Don’t lie to me Alexander,” Thomas unfolds from the bed and makes another tally on the whiteboard. 

“Would you drop it about dressing warmer?” Alex snaps. He rubs his hands up and down his arms and steps over to the fire, trying to get warm. 

“You promised me you would,” Thomas chides. 

Alex shrugs again. 

“I can’t, okay. I said that so you’d drop it. I don’t own anything warmer, Thomas,” Alex says, staring into the fire. 

“You should have told me Alexander. I could have lent you something, hell I could have gotten you something warm enough to wear-” 

“Stop it!” Alex snaps, cutting Thomas off. “I’m not your fucking charity case. I’m fine, okay, just drop it.” 

“Alexander I’m responsible for you this week!” Thomas protests.

“We have a sex bet, Thomas, you didn’t suddenly become my mother!” Alex snarls.

“Okay, Okay, I’ll drop it,” Thomas acquiesces. 

He steps over to Alex, reaches out to cup alex's chin. 

Alex jerks his head away, sullen.

“Alexander…” there’s warning in Thomas’ voice. “We have guests arriving shortly, please correct your attitude.”

“Guests?” Alex asks, twisting to glare at Thomas. “I think my attitude is just fine.”

“Alexander,” Thomas steps in towards him. 

Alex glares up at Thomas defiantly, full of fight and fire. 

“I expect you to be on your best behaviour for our friends,” Thomas says, sugar sweet. 

“No thanks,” Alex replies drily.

“Let’s try that again. Best behaviour, please,” Thomas says. He cups Alex's chin in his hand, and this time Alex allows it, but when he leans in to kiss Alex, Alex bites his lower lip.

“You little shit!” Thomas’ fingers tighten on Alex’s chin, squeezing firmly. 

Alex grins, sharp and a little bit feral.

“Listen here. You’re going to kneel in the corner until our friends arrive, and think about how you should act. I trust you not to embarrass me,” Thomas snaps. He drops his hand from Alex’s chin to give his collar a gentle yank.

Alex huffs and swats Thomas’ hand away, but he walks to the corner Thomas indicates and kneels, hands folded in his lap.

“That’s better. I’ve heard quiet enough of your back talk for the moment, so I think you need to wear this.” Thomas walks up behind Alex, pets down his hair. “Open up.”

Alex sighs, and opens his mouth.

Makes a strangled sound of protest when Thomas pops a ball gag in and buckles it deftly at the back of Alex's head.

“Hands,” Thomas commands.

Alex sighs again, and holds his hands out behind his back.

Thomas clips the handcuffs on, hooks the leash to Alex’s collar, and steps back.

“Thumbs Up if you’re comfortable,” Thomas says.

Alex gives him the middle finger.

“Alexander…” Thomas sighs.

Alex hears him making more tallies on the whiteboard, and gives him a thumbs up.

“Good boy,” Thomas says. 

Alex stares down at his knees, shifts a little so he’s settled more comfortably back on his heels, and waits.

He doesn’t have to wait long.

There’s a knock on the door, and he can hear John’s voice from out in the hall.

“Gil what the fuck is going on, where are you taking me?” All fight, all fire.

Alex twists to try to look at Thomas, and Thomas shakes his head sternly as he gets up.

“Stay put Alexander,” he snaps.

Alex sighs and twists back around, staring at the wall.

He hears the door open and the shuffling of bodies as Lafayette and John step into the room. The door shuts with a click, and locks.

“Bonjour, Thomas,” Lafayette purrs.

“Gil?” John asks.

“Hello Laf, John. Did you not tell him the plan, Lafayette?” Thomas’ voice comes closer again and Alex waits, impatient.

“I did not, I thought the surprise would be more fun. John? I’m going to take your blindfold off now,” Lafayette says. 

A shiver runs through Alex, spark of anticipation and a little thrill at the thought of John - who he’d always had a little crush on - blindfolded. Hell. 

He hears John make a strangled sound of surprise, and it takes everything in him not to turn around and look. 

“What the fuck- Gil what is going _on_ here?!”

Alex has to bite his lower lip to stop himself from grinning at the indignation in John’s voice. He waits, carpet rough on his knees and shins, legs starting to feel a little numb from being in this position for so long. 

“It’s quite simple, don’t tell me you honestly had no idea John? Alexander is Thomas’ sub for the week. Come on love, sit down and get comfortable. Thomas has invited us to play with him and Alexander tonight, isn’t that generous of him? Didn’t you tell me you had a crush on Alexander when the two of you were in college?” Lafayette’s tone deepens as he speaks, and they move closer. 

Alex can hear the soft sounds of someone - John, he assumes - getting onto the bed. 

“Gil,” John says, all soft, a little whiny. Alex can almost hear him blushing. 

“Didn’t you tell me you jerked off thinking of him, more than once? Look at him, waiting so nicely? Aren’t you lucky, John?” Lafayette continues, voice like spun sugar. 

John makes a choked off sound that could mean anything. 

“Colour, love?” Lafayette asks gently. 

“Green, green, I just… Alex _agreed_ to this?” John asks, incredulous. 

“He did. It was his idea, in fact,” Thomas comments.

Alex makes a muffled sound of protest, tonguing the ball gag that sits heavy in his mouth. He may have agreed to it, but it was definitely not _his_ idea.

“See? He agrees,” Thomas says. 

“Okay…” John says slowly. 

More shifting sounds, and someone lets out a muffled huff. 

Alex inhales sharply, tries to hold still because he knows if he moves Thomas will just make him stay here for longer, and he’s dying to know what’s going on, dying to join them on the bed, desperate not to be left out. 

“How come Alex is facing the corner like that?” John asks, 

“Mmm, looks like he was naughty, no?” Lafayette purrs. “Why don’t you let Thomas get to know you a little, okay baby? I’m going to take a closer look at our Alexander here,”

Alex hears the sheets on the bed shift, hears the soft sounds of kissing, of skin on skin. Burns with jealousy at being left over here while everyone else has a good time on the bed. 

Lafayette’s socked foot prods Alex’s outer thigh gently. 

“Hello Alex. Oh, look at you in your ball gag. You look so pretty like this. I can’t wait to play with you…” Lafayette’s hand settles on Alex’s head, and Alex is so grateful for the attention that he nearly melts, and he burns with embarrassment because of it. 

Lafayette strokes his hair for a moment, then leaves him wordlessly, heads back over to the bed. 

Alone again, Alex closes his eyes and takes deep breaths through his nose. He can hear everyone else on the bed, soft sounds of kisses and touches, gentle moans. Softness and warmth and touch that he’s excluded from. 

He shifts a little on his heels, cool air on his skin, fingers twining together behind his back just to give himself something to hold onto. 

He lets his mind drift, tries not to focus on what’s happening on the bed, tries to let himself float away. 

After a time, he can hear them speaking softly, but he’s too spaced out to really catch it. 

He jumps a little when a gentle hand settles on the back of his neck, thumb rubbing gently. 

“Alexander? We would love you to join us now. Thomas says you may,” Lafayette says gently. 

Alex twists, looks up at Lafayette first, then over at the bed. 

Thomas is sprawled on his back, completely naked, John stretched out against his side, trading slow, sloppy kisses. John’s fingers are curled loosely around Thomas’ cock, stroking lazily, and Thomas looks so content, so composed… 

Alex swallows the wave of bitter jealousy, the first fleeting thought that Thomas is _his_ , not John’s. 

Lets his mind linger instead on how good John’s bronzed, freckled fingers look against Thomas’ dark cock. 

“Come on Alexander. It’s alright,” Thomas says, barely breaking from kissing John to address him. 

“Let’s move your hands to the front, mm?” Lafayette crouches next to Alex, undoes the cuffs and gives Alex a moment to stretch. 

Alex rolls his shoulders, flexes his fingers, and offers his wrists up to Lafayette. 

“What a good boy. Thomas you have him well trained,” Lafayette says, delighted. He fits the cuffs around Alex’s wrists again and clips them shut. “Come on up on the bed with us Alex.” 

Lafayette lifts the leash in his hands gently, and gives it an experimental tug. 

Alex shifts onto his hands and knees, and looks up at Lafayette expectantly. 

Lafayette grins, delighted, and leads Alex back towards the bed. 

Alex follows on hands and knees, and crawls up onto the bed awkwardly. 

Thomas gestures for him to come closer, so Alex fits himself between Thomas’ spread legs and leans into the hand that Thomas strokes down his head, grateful for any attention. 

John turns his head and their eyes meet, and John reaches out and touches the strap of the ball gag, fingers light, eyes wide. He brushes his thumb over Alex’s damp lower lip, eyes carefully searching Alex’s face, something charged passing between them. 

“Thumbs up if you’re good, Alex,” Thomas says gently. 

Alex gives Thomas the finger. 

Lafayette laughs, and swats Alex on the ass, crawling up to stretch out on his other side. 

“Naughty,” he chides playfully. 

Alex’s jaw aches, and he huffs a little laugh at Lafayette’s swat, can’t grin around the gag. His jaw aches, stretched around the gag. 

John strokes the hollow of his cheek with gentle fingers, then turns to look at Thomas. 

“May I kiss him, sir?” He asks. 

Another little thrill runs through Alex at John’s request, all soft and almost shy. 

Lafayette runs a hand up Alex’s side, explorative and teasing. His fingers find the edge of the collar and slide beneath it, give a little tug. 

Alex huffs softly in response.

“Mm, not yet darlin’. It’s so nice to have him gagged like this so he can’t talk back. You may touch him as much as you please, though, as long as you leave the gag in place,” Thomas catches John’s chin, pulls him into another kiss. 

They kiss languidly, soft moans from John as Thomas licks into his mouth, right in front of Alex’s face while Lafayette’s hands roam over Alex’s body. 

Lafayette’s hand finds Alex’s cock, half hard, and strokes him with slow, teasing touches. 

Alex moans, hips hitching a little, looks over at Lafayette. 

Lafayette grins, and winks at him, then slides his fingers under Thomas’ chin and tugs him away from John, into a kiss of his own. 

Alex tongues the back of the ball gag with a whine, and Lafayette’s hand squeezes, strokes him a little harder. 

“Roll over baby,” Lafayette murmurs, and he rubs his thumb back and forth over the head of Alex’s cock. “Let John touch you.”

Alex shifts over onto his back, his head on Thomas’ chest, Thomas’ legs on either side of him. Thomas’ arm snakes around his middle, the weight comforting and familiar. 

John curls in close, his hand drifting down Alex’s body. He leans in, nips at Alex’s earlobe. 

“You look so hot like this, holy shit, you’re sure this is okay?” John whispers against his ear. 

Alex moans softly and nods. He already feels overwhelmed by all the different ways he’s being touched. Thomas’ hard cock against his back, John’s hand stroking over his stomach, tugging at the rope harness, exploring with gentle fingers, Lafayette’s hand wrapped around his cock, stroking slowly, Thomas’ fingernails scratching lightly at his side. 

“Good. Hell, this is crazy. Have you been wearing this all week?” John plucks at the rope that winds down the center of Alex’s chest. 

Alex nods again, helpless with his hands bound, at the mercy of three sets of hands. 

He tilts his head to the side as John nips below his ear, trails his mouth down the side of Alex’s neck with licks and sucks, teeth scraping teasingly. He pauses when he gets to the collar. 

“Have you had this on all week too? Is that why you’ve been wearing that scarf?” John asks. He runs a finger under the collar, makes Alex shiver a little with delight. 

Alex nods again. 

Lafayette gives his cock a squeeze, makes Alex’s hips buck up into his hand. 

“Holy shit. You’re not sick, are you?” John asks, a little awed. His mouth travels down to Alex’s collarbone, and he grips it in his teeth for a moment before trailing kisses along it to Alex’s shoulder. “Gil you ass, why didn’t you tell me!?”

Lafayette huffs a little laugh into Thomas’ mouth, and rubs his thumb back and forth over the head of Alex’s cock until Alex is squirming, hips rolling gently. 

Beneath him, Thomas moans softly, and his nails dig into Alex’s side. 

John shakes his head a little, returns his attention to mouthing his way down Alex’s body. He pauses to worry at Alex’s nipple with his tongue, then kisses a slow line down to Alex’s hip. His hand roams over Alex’s chest, tugging at the ropes, scratching lightly at his skin. 

John stops with his mouth inches from Alex’s cock, rests his cheek on Alex’s hip for a moment and just watches Lafayette’s hand, stroking Alex’s cock with long strokes from base to head. 

“Gil,” John whines softly. 

“Mmm?” Lafayette hums, pauses his strokes to rub his thumb back and forth over the head of Alex’s cock again. 

“I want to suck Alex’s cock,” John says, hint of pleading in his voice. 

“Mmm, but I’m playing with it right now, no?” Lafayette murmurs, a little muffled, like he hasn’t completely removed his mouth from Thomas’ to answer John. 

“Please?” John asks, all softness. 

Alex marvels at how quickly John’s hard edges melt and ease under Lafayette’s attention. 

“Do you deserve it, though? Are you going to be a good boy for Thomas after? Thank him for letting you play with his toy?” Lafayette gives Alex’s cock a firm tug as he talks, and Alex’s hips hitch. “You should ask Thomas if he even wants you sucking Alex’s cock. Be respectful, John.”

“Thomas?” John asks, pauses to nuzzle at Alex’s hip. “May I suck Alex’s cock?” 

“Mm, go ahead little one. Don’t let him come,” Thomas replies, voice light and lazy, like he couldn’t care less what John does to Alex. 

Alex burns a little at the way they’re all talking about him as if he isn’t right there, as if he can’t hear them. He squirms against Thomas, makes a soft sound against the gag that’s stretching his jaw. 

“Thank you Thomas, thank you Gil,” John breathes, picture perfect submissive. 

It leaves Alex a little awestruck. 

Lafayette lets go of Alex’s cock, runs his hand down Alex’s inner thigh instead while John shifts over to sprawl between Alex’s legs. 

Alex looks down at John, watches as John takes his time, noses at the base of Alex’s cock before mouthing up the length, lips soft against Alex’s taut skin. Alex moans softly, lifts his hips encouragingly. His head falls back against Thomas’ chest when John sucks the head of his cock into his mouth, lips tight, mouth warm and inviting. It takes everything Alex has not to buck his hips up and fuck into John’s waiting mouth. 

John takes his time adjusting to Alex’s length in his mouth, works himself up to taking it all with shallow bobs of his head, tongue flickering over the underside of Alex’s cock as he slowly takes more and more.

“Mmm, he looks awful pretty like that, Lafayette,” Thomas murmurs. He reaches out and tugs his hand through John’s hair, draws his fingertips along John’s cheek, and pops one finger into John’s mouth alongside Alex’s cock. 

Both Alex and John moan at the sudden intrusion. 

Alex’s cock jerks, and John moans again, swallows him deeper, Thomas’ finger resting still against Alex’s length. 

Alex can hear Thomas and Lafayette kissing again, and Lafayette’s hand wanders up to Alex’s leash. He curls his fingers around it, and tugs, teasing. 

Alex groans, cock twitching at the combined sensation of Lafayette tugging on the leash and John’s mouth hot and wet around his cock. 

“Don’t you come, Alexander,” Thomas says, voice low with warning. He shifts gently beneath Alex, hard cock rubbing against Alex’s lower back. 

John moans softly at Thomas’ words, cheeks hollowing around Alex’s cock. 

“Hmm… I think John needs a little help…” Lafayette murmurs. He lets go of Alex’s leash and works his fingers into John’s hair. 

The sight of Lafayette’s hand controlling John’s head, directing the tight wetness of John’s mouth around Alex’s cock is enough to send a sudden spark of heat through Alex, and he groans, fingers tangling with each other and holding on tight. 

“Don’t you dare come Alexander,” Thomas hisses into Alex’s ear, finger stil pressed alongside Alex’s cock in John’s mouth. 

Lafayette huffs a soft laugh, and pushes John’s head down. 

John chokes around Alex’s cock and swallows hard, throat working around Alex’s cock. 

Alex makes a strangled sound behind the ball gag, the feeling of John swallowing around him driving him right over the edge. He comes hard, spilling hot into John’s mouth and throat, whole body shaking against Thomas. 

“John…” Lafayette says, voice low and scolding. He lets go of John’s head, lets him up. 

John looks up, lips shiny with saliva and come.

“What did Thomas tell you not to do?” Lafayette asks.

“Make Alex come…” John says slowly. 

“And what did you do?” Lafayette’s voice is stern. 

“I made him come, but Gil-”

“No buts. Thomas, please feel free to do what you wish with John, as he has disobeyed your orders,” Lafayette shifts, moves away to lie on his side at the edge of the bed. 

“Mm, Alexander was bad to have come, I think he should wear a ring until we’re ready to let him come again, what do you think? Can you look after him while I tend to John?” Thomas swipes his wet finger up Alex’s stomach, and gives him a gentle push. 

John shifts out of the way, and Alex rolls, pliant post-orgasm, and sprawls onto his back beside Lafayette. 

“Don’t move,” Lafayette says into his ear. 

Alex nods, watches Lafayette get up and walk over to Thomas’ suitcase. 

He turns his attention back to Thomas and John, feels a mixture of jealousy and awe as he watches them come together, John pliant and submissive, Thomas purposeful and dominant. 

He watches Thomas guide John to his hands and knees, power and control in every move he makes. He guides John to turn so he’s facing Alex, knees spread, hands braced in the white sheets. 

Lafayette’s fingers touch Alex’s hip, distracting him. He looks up at Lafayette as Lafayette settles back onto the bed, stretched out alongside Alex, his hard cock pushing up against Alex’s hip. 

“John and Thomas make an awfully pretty picture, don’t they?” Lafayette murmurs. He runs a hand lightly down Alex’s body, the touch almost absent minded. 

Alex nods, looks back over at John and Thomas. John’s head is bowed, loose on his neck. Thomas is standing behind him, hand between John’s legs, soft slick sounds filling the room. 

“John,” Lafayette snaps. 

“Nn, yeah Gil?” John pants, voice thick with pleasure. 

“We can’t see what Thomas is doing to you, why don’t you tell us?” Lafayette commands. He taps Alex gently on the hip, and murmurs low in his ear. “Up, like John, facing him, please.”

Alex drags himself to his hands and knees, still feels loose limbed from his first orgasm. 

“He’s fingering me, Gil,” John pants, and he sounds out of it already, but he looks up, eye to eye with Alex, so close they could kiss if Alex wasn’t gagged. So close that Alex could count every freckle if he had time. He can feel the soft huff of John’s breath, and their foreheads press together for a moment when John pushes forward. 

“Ngh, two fingers. Fuck. Feels good,” John pants, voice low. 

“Good boy. Keep talking,” Lafayette purrs. He strokes a hand down the back of Alex’s thigh with light fingers. 

“He’s- fuck. He keeps missing my prostate,” John whines. 

The sharp sound of Thomas’ open palm hitting John’s backside makes Alex jolt as if he’s the one who was spanked. 

“H-he spanked me,” John says, broken voiced, head going loose again. 

Lafayette’s fingers, slick with lube, press lightly against Alex’s hole. 

“Perhaps you deserved that, just as you deserve for him not to touch your prostate, hmm?” Lafayette suggests. He pulses his fingertips gently against Alex’s hole, the pressure just enough to suggest, not enough to do anything. 

“I’m… I’m sorry,” John whines. “I didn’t mean it.”

Alex groans as Lafayette sinks one finger into him, agonizingly slow, and starts to pump it in and out, gentle and lazy. He rocks back into it, cock stirring. 

“You still did it,” Thomas drawls, and he does something that makes John gasp, fingers digging into the sheets. 

Lafayette adds a second finger, fucks Alex with them slowly. 

“Now he’s stretching me,” John pants. He looks up again, eyes locking with Alex’s. 

Lafayette spreads his fingers inside Alex, stretching him carefully. 

Alex whines against the gag, tonguing the back of it in frustration. His jaw aches, and being unable to speak is torture, being unable to kiss John when he’s right there in front of him is torture. 

John leans forward again, forehead pressing into Alex’s forehead. 

“He took his fingers out,” John pants. 

Lafayette slides his fingers out of Alex, and reaches between his legs to grip his cock. He strokes him with tight, quick strokes that Alex can’t help but buck into, moaning softly as his cock jerks in Lafayette’s grip, hardening again. 

“Now he’s- oh god you’re big, Thomas-” John’s words cut off with a deep groan, his mouth dropping open. 

Lafayette slides the silicone ring onto Alex’s cock, settles it tight at the base, and grips his hips. 

“He’s fucking me now, Gil,” John says, voice catching, “He’s going really slow, fuck, Thomas.”

“Patience, Laurens,” Thomas says, bored sounding. 

Alex chokes on a soft moan at the sound of Thomas’ voice, and he closes his eyes, trying to hold onto the sound of it. 

The head of Lafayette’s cock nudges up against Alex’s hole, sinks into him agonizingly slow. 

“I ca- oh god. Gil,” John whines, a little loose and senseless. 

Alex moans around the gag at the delicious stretch of Lafayette’s cock sinking into him, so slow. 

“Alex, Alex,” John whispers. 

Alex opens his eyes, looks right into John’s, his breath catching in his throat. 

“Wanna kiss you so bad,” John says, so soft. He shifts one hand forwards, twines his fingers with Alex’s fingers. 

Alex squeezes, makes a soft sound of agreement in his throat, mentally cursing the ball gag. 

John leans in, strokes his tongue over Alex’s bottom lip. Whines in frustration. 

Thomas laughs, and Alex hears the sound of a hand hitting flesh again, softer than before, and John jolts against him. 

“If you can both be good, maybe we’ll let you kiss when we’re all done, mmkay?” Thomas says, sugar sweet. 

“Kay,” John murmurs. 

Lafayette fucks Alex with slow strokes of his hips, fingers digging into his hips. The head of his cock brushes Alex’s prostate, and Alex’s cock jerks, trapped in the ring. 

Alex loses himself in it, the rhythm of Lafayette’s thrusts, the shape of his cock, different from Thomas, yet not dissimilar. The press of John’s forehead against his, soft huff of John’s breath on his face, anchoring twine of their fingers together. The slick sounds of sex, loud in his ears, John’s moans, Lafayette and Thomas’ voices as if from very far away.   
Lafayette reaches around, fists Alex’s cock and starts to stroke him with tight strokes, hips driving harder into him. 

Alex groans, cock achingly hard in Lafayette’s hand, sensation threatening to overwhelm his mind. 

“Do you want to come, John? Do you think you deserve it?” Thomas’ voice sends a shiver up and down Alex’s spine. 

“Yeah, please,” John pants. He squeezes Alex’s fingers harder. “I’m so close-” John’s words choke off on a loud moan, open mouthed and otherworldly. 

Alex’s cock jerks in Lafayette’s hand, and he can feel the way Lafayette’s hips stutter for a second in response to that sound, so loud in Alex’s ears. 

John makes a sound that could be a sob or a moan, and he squeezes Alex’s fingers so hard it hurts. 

“Thomas, ah, stop,” he pants, pressing his forehead harder into Alex’s

Alex whimpers, Lafayette’s cock driving into his prostate over and over the sweetest agony, John’s moans loud in his ears. 

“You wanted to come, no?” Lafayette chides.

“I came, ah, Thomas!” John’s whole body is shaking, desperate little sounds escaping him. 

Alex squeezes his hand back, clenches around Lafayette’s cock, the sounds John is making sending shocks of need up and down his spine. 

“Again,” Thomas snaps, and there’s that sharp sound again, skin on skin, and John _sobs_ and jerks against Alex. he drops his head to Alex’s shoulder, knuckles white on Alex’s fingers. 

“Colour?” Thomas asks as John goes boneless and sinks into the mattress. 

“Green,” John breathes, hoarse, “green.”

“Good.” Thomas crawls up onto the bed, cups Alex’s chin in his hand and lifts his head as Lafayette’s thrusts slow to a halt. “Check?” He asks. 

Alex gives him the finger. 

Thomas sighs and shakes his head, pats Alex gently on the cheek. 

“I’m going to take your gag out now, and I’m going to fuck your mouth while Lafayette fucks your ass, okay?” Thomas reaches around Alex, unbuckles the gag and lifts it carefully out of Alex’s mouth. 

Alex works his jaw, the ache intensifying before it begins to subside. 

John shifts out of the way, grabs a pillow and stretches out along the head of the bed to watch, body boneless and strung out, eyes half closed. 

“Mmm, Gil, you look good with your dick in Alex’s ass,” he says, a little slurred and loopy, soft grin on his face. 

Lafayette shifts, rolls his hips in tight little thrusts, the head of his cock pressing right into Alex’s prostate. 

“Yeah…” John breathes, all slow and warm. 

“How’s your jaw? Ready for my cock?” Thomas asks, drawing Alex’s attention back to him. 

Alex works his jaw, swallows, and nods. He opens his mouth, lets his chin rest heavy in Thomas’ hand. 

“Good boy,” Thomas says. He shifts up onto his knees, and guides his cock slowly into Alex’s waiting mouth, thumb stroking Alex’s jaw gently. 

Alex moans, eyes fluttering closed, could drift away on this sensation of being filled so completely, Lafayette’s cock hitting his prostate again and again as he starts to fuck him in earnest once more. Thomas’ cock fills his mouth, stretches his jaw wide again around it. 

Thomas starts to rock his hips gently back and forth, hand moving to Alex’s hair, gentle at first to let Alex adjust. 

“You guys really look alike, you know,” John comments, sounding completely out of it, “You’re like bookends.”

Lafayette huffs a little laugh, and strokes one hand down Alex’s ass, thrusting slower and deeper. 

“Do you think he can take my finger, too?” Lafayette asks. 

Alex groans at the suggestion, and Thomas’s hips hitch, cock shoving deeper into Alex’s mouth. 

“Yeah,” Thomas says. Gives Alex’s hair a little tug, and thrusts into his mouth a little harder. 

Alex’s breath catches in his throat when Lafayette’s finger presses against his hole, slick with lube. He works it in slowly, carefully, the stretch making Alex groan around Thomas’ cock in his throat. 

“Can he take us both?” Lafayette asks.

Thomas’ cock jerks in alex's mouth at the suggestion, and he pulls out, looks down at Alex.

“Alexander?”

Alex looks up at Thomas, little shiver of want running through him.

“Yeah, green.” He breathes.

He hears John’s sharp little intake of breath, his soft “oh fuck.”, and his cock jerks in its ring.

Lafayette pulls out slowly, strokes his hand over the curve of Alex’s ass.

“How do you want to do this?” Thomas asks, cupping Alex’s face in his hand.

Alex thinks for a moment.

“Laf on his back, I’ll ride him, and then you come from behind?” He suggests. He sits up, and holds out his handcuffed hands to Thomas. “Can I have these off?”

Thomas nods, unhooks the cuffs from Alex's wrists and sets them aside.

“John my love, how are you doing?” Lafayette asks.

Alex looks over at John, stretched out along the head of the bed, lazily stroking his half hard cock.

“Green,” he says, soft smile on his face. 

“Good,” Lafayette leans over to kiss John for a moment before settling on his back on the bed.

Alex straddles Lafayette’s hips, looks down at his friend as he grabs the bottle of lube and pours a generous helping into his hand. He strokes Lafayette’s cock, coating it with lube.

“Did you know this would happen when you set this whole thing up?” He asks, teasing, playful.

“Perhaps,” Lafayette says with a sly grin.

“You ass,” Alex laughs. He positions himself and sinks down onto Lafayette’s cock, lets his head fall back and really relishes the feeling of being filled up. 

He leans forward, chest to chest with Lafayette, aching and needy. 

Lafayette cups his cheek, and draws him into a deep kiss. His tongue strokes into alex's mouth, teases a low moan from his lips.

Thomas’ hand strokes down Alex’s back, and Alex can’t stop his moan of anticipation, loud and strung out. 

“I’m going to put a finger in now,” Thomas murmurs. 

Alex shudders at the first press of Thomas’ fingertip to his hole, wants to float away on that delicious stretch, stay like this forever. 

Beneath him, Lafayette starts a gentle roll of his hips, slow and careful. The head of his cock drags across Alex’s prostate, makes him moan and push back into the press of cock and finger inside him.

“Can you take another?” Thomas asks, gives his finger a little wiggle that makes Alex’s eyes roll back in his head.

“Yeah, green,” he pants against Lafayette’s mouth.

“Holy shit Alex,” John breathes, voice soft and awed.

Thomas’ second finger, slick with a generous helping of lube, presses against Alex’s hole, and for a moment it feels like it’s going to be too much, but then he wriggles the tip in. The stretch is right on the border of pleasure and pain, but Alex pushes back into it. His eyes water, but Lafayette’s cock keeps dragging over his prostate and that definitely feels good. 

Alex lets his head drop, cheek to cheek with Lafayette.

“Colour,” Lafayette says softly, his hand stroking down to rest on Alex’s lower back.

“Green, just stay here a minute,” Alex answers.

“Tell me when you’re ready for more,” Thomas says. He pumps his fingers in and out of Alex’s hole, creating a friction against Lafayette’s cock that feels absolutely incredible inside Alex. 

Alex lets out a shaky breath, cock aching between his belly and Lafayette’s. 

“I want to come,” he whines, mind starting to go a little foggy.

“Not yet Sugar,” Thomas murmurs. He spreads his fingers inside Alex, slow and careful, gently asking Alex’s hole to stretch and open for him, to give him more and more and more.

Alex shudders, body going loose on top of Lafayette, anchored only by that sweet drag of Lafayette’s cock over his prostate, again and again and again until he can’t stop the tiny moans and whimpers coming from his throat, until he’s desperate for even more yet, insatiable.

“More,” he chokes out, turning to press his face into Lafayette’s neck.

“Okay, one more finger, and then you can have my cock, okay baby?” Thomas says, the tip of his third finger pressing slowly inside Alex.

“Please,” Alex groans, the scent of Lafayette’s sweat and cologne heavy in his nose, slick push and pull of fingers and cock inside him.

With three of Thomas’ fingers fully inside him, Alex doesn’t know how he could possibly take anymore, but the stretch is so good, the submission so complete that he just wants to keep giving and giving, feels like he would let them tear him apart if they wanted to.

“Oh fuck, Alexander,” Thomas’ voice shakes a little, “I can’t wait to get my cock in there.” 

As he starts to move his fingers, slowly stretching and asking, John rolls over, fits himself up against Lafayette and Alex, fingers plucking at Alex’s harness.

“I want to kiss him, please Gil,” John whines, noses at the side of Alex’s face.

Alex moans, open mouthed, coming apart at every seam. He’s floating on touch, on all the different sensations that are happening to his body.

“Go ahead my love,” Lafayette says softly.

“Ready for my cock?” Thomas asks, slowly sliding his fingers back out of Alex’s hole.

It leaves Alex feeling empty, leaves him desperately needy. 

“Green, green,” he begs, and he turns his head and finds John’s mouth with a hunger that threatens to overwhelm him completely, burning like fire in his aching cock and shaking fingertips.

John kisses him back with a loud moan, their tongues tangling together, heat and need and affection.

The blunt head of Thomas’ cock presses against his hole, and Alex's breath catches and his heart hammers in his chest.

For a moment it feels impossible, but then Lafayette’s cock drags over his prostate again and Alex relaxes just enough-

Thomas makes a choked off sound as the head of his cock enters Alex’s hole.

“Wait, fuck, wait,” Alex pants into John’s mouth, heat surging through his body, the stretch so close to unbearable.

“Good boy, good boy,” Thomas says. He strokes Alex’s hips with gentle fingers. 

Lafayette stills his hips, fingers spread on Alex's lower back.

“Are they both in?” John asks between soft kisses.

“Yeah, fuck, okay, I’m okay,” Alex pants, fingers curling in the sheets.

“God,” John groans. He kisses Alex again, deep and needy.

Alex kisses John back as Thomas starts to roll his hips in small, careful motions. His cock sinks slowly into Alex, hands tight on his hips.

“Fuck, I need to come so bad,” Alex pleads, voice tight. 

“Soon baby, shit you feel so good,” Thomas answers. He starts to fuck Alex in earnest, slow deep rolls of his hips that contrast with the gentle rhythm Lafayette sets beneath him. The push and pull of two cocks inside him is otherworldly, so worth the stretch and the pressure, so worth the wait. 

Alex’s awareness narrows to the feeling of John’s sloppy, desperate kisses. Lafayette below him and Thomas above him, the way they both feel inside him. The insistent pressure on his prostate and cock, nearly blinding in its intense ache. The slick sounds of fucking, and of John’s hand on his own cock, stroking fast and urgent. 

He loses himself in it, floats away on the overwhelming sensations, reduced to nothing but need and heat and ache. 

He’s coming apart at the seams, stretched and pulled and filled, 

Thomas’ fingers dig into his hips as he fucks into Alex harder and faster, Lafayette moaning loud in Alex’s ear as he starts to lose his rhythm. 

John breaks away from Alex’s mouth, tangles their fingers together again, foreheads pressed together. 

“Gil, Gil, are you gonna come in his hole?” John asks, little desperate hitch in his voice. 

The question is enough to send Lafayette over the edge, and he groans loud in Alex’s ear as he floods him with hot splashes of come. 

“Oh fuck,” Thomas’ hips hitch, and his fingers dig in deep. He lets go, fucking Alex with rough strokes. 

A moment later, John makes a punched out sound, come splashing over the sheets and Alex’s leg. 

Alex whines, pushes his hips back into Thomas’ thrusts, feels like he’s burning up inside with ache and need, his own orgasm trapped _right there_ behind the cock ring, every nerve on fire. Every stroke of Thomas’ cock inside him sends him that much closer to unravelling completely, everything so deliciously overwhelming. 

Thomas makes a low sound deep in his throat, and his hips still, cock pulsing deep inside Alex as he comes, adds to the mess in Alex’s hole. 

He pulls out slowly, and Alex wants to cry at how empty it leaves him feeling. He helps Alex up carefully, guides him off of Lafayette’s cock to sprawl boneless on his back on the bed. 

John and Lafayette roll into him immediately, Lafayette’s long fingers rolling the ring off of Alex’s cock. 

John shifts between Alex’s legs, pushes them apart and kisses his inner thighs. 

“Hips up Alex, I wanna taste them on you,” he breathes, heated, needy. 

Alex groans, cants his hips up and squirms. 

Lafayette’s fingers curl around his cock, stroking him gently. 

“Come Alexander, you’ve earned it,” Lafayette murmurs. 

John buries his face between Alex’s legs, strokes his tongue over Alex’s oversensitive hole, and lets out a decadent moan. 

Alex opens his eyes, searches for Thomas’ face as pleasure rushes up fast and unstoppable. Finds him, right there by the bed, watching closely. 

“Can I?” He asks, barely more than a whimper.

“Go on,” Thomas says, soft. 

That’s all it takes, and Alex is gone. His hips buck into Lafayette’s hand, thick ropes of come streaking his stomach. His whole body shakes, pleasure surging through him. 

It feels like forever, like lightning rushing through him, white hot and unbearable.

“Stop, stop,” he breathes, riding the line between the ebbing shocks of orgasm and oversensitivity. 

Lafayette lets go, and John pushes up off the bed immediately, leaving Alex panting and untouched, trembling all over. 

He feels light headed and strung out, can’t really follow the sound of voices around him. 

Kisses John back feebly when John leans in, and murmurs something unintelligible back when Lafayette brushes a hand over his head and says… something… to him.

Silence follows, and Alex stays where he is, just breathing, sinking slowly back into his own body, all fire and tremble. 

Thomas returns, but doesn’t touch him. 

“I’m going to start a bath, are you okay?” He asks quietly.

Alex nods, head loose on his shoulders, grateful to just be left alone for a moment. 

He drifts, eyes closed, wrung out and strung out and exhausted. The sounds of the tub filling, of Thomas walking around, of the fire crackling… they all seem to exist outside of reality. 

By the time Thomas comes back, Alex feels like he belongs to his body again, heavy limbed and boneless, but present. 

“How are you doing? Can I help you out of your harness?” Thomas asks. 

“Please,” Alex says. 

Thomas sets to work undoing the harness, quick and efficient, almost businesslike touches that don’t make Alex want to crawl out of his own skin. 

He stays still and lets Thomas work, doesn’t think he could move if he tried. 

Thomas unbuckles the collar next, sets it and the leash aside on the bedside table. 

“Can you walk to the tub?” Thomas asks. 

Alex shakes his head.

“Carry me?” he asks, too strung out to feel ashamed for wanting it. 

“Of course,” Thomas says, warmth in his voice that makes Alex’s heart clench. 

Thomas slides his arms under Alex’s shoulders and legs, lifts him carefully up and cradles him close to his body. 

Alex lets his head drop to Thomas’ shoulder, closes his eyes and just breathes. Lets Thomas carry him to the bathroom. Lets Thomas step into the tub and settle in with Alex between his legs. Lets his head loll over so his face is tucked against Thomas’ neck, eyes closed. 

“I’ve got you, just relax. I won’t let you drown, and we’ll stay right here until you’re ready to move,” Thomas says, quiet and warm and reassuring, and Alex feels safer than he can remember ever feeling in his life. 

With Thomas’ permission, he lets himself drift off on a tide of warmth and affection.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains: fisting, sub drop, bad aftercare, spanking, punishment

Alex wakes slowly, finds that in sleep he’s clung to Thomas for dear life, legs twined tight together, his face buried in Thomas’ neck. He can’t remember coming to bed, must have fallen asleep in Thomas’ arms in the bathtub…

The thought makes his heart do a double take, and he swallows hard against the inevitability of things returning to the way they were before. This happy little experiment ends today, and Alex is exhausted and he’s vulnerable and he feels too strung out still to really piece his thoughts together. Hadn’t counted on finding out that when all the posturing comes off the table, he actually doesn’t mind Thomas so much. 

He ignores it all, presses closer to Thomas and just basks in the warmth and closeness, doesn’t want to acknowledge that he’s not really ready to let it go. 

Thomas shifts against him. Stretches, languid and cat like, and yawns loudly. Makes a production and a luxury out of waking up the same way he does everything else, but instead of rubbing Alex the wrong way, it makes him grin a little at the ridiculousness of it. 

Thomas pulls back just enough to blink sleepily down at Alex, soft smile on his face. How anyone can look as gorgeous as Thomas does upon waking, Alex is sure he’ll never know. 

“How’re you doing sweet pea?” Thomas drawls, all sleep soft and honey warm. 

“I’m good,” Alex says. He’s a little sore, bone tired and achey, but gloriously sated. 

“Good,” Thomas strokes his hand down Alex’s side, cups his ass and draws him closer. “We have a few hours left, want to make the most of them?” 

“Mmh, yeah,” Alex presses in, doesn’t want to think about the way his heart skips a beat, doesn’t want to think about any of it. 

“Good,” Thomas murmurs. He leans in again and kisses Alex, long and sweet and soft, tongues tangling lazily in the warmth of early morning.

Alex melts into it, loves this lazy softness, wants to revel in it, let his whole body indulge in the sensation of being indulged in. He can’t remember ever taking his time to really enjoy every moment of sex before this week, and the way Thomas takes pleasure in every single little thing… it’s a revelation to Alex, who is all hurry, all rush. 

They kiss for ages, hands roaming slow and lazy over each other’s bodies, nothing between them but heat and soft sounds. Alex gets a little lost on it, a little floaty headed and drunk with it. Being the sole object of Thomas’ affection, especially after yesterday’s antics, is overwhelmingly heady. 

So when Thomas pulls back and looks down at him, Alex whines a little and presses forward, wants to stay in this dreamlike softness for the rest of his life. 

“There is one last thing we have to settle, Alexander,” Thomas says, voice quiet but firm. 

“Okay,” Alex says, warm and relaxed, “what is it?”

Thomas nods in the direction of the whiteboard. 

“You collected a number of tallies this week, naughty thing,” he says. 

Alex swallows his grin, and twists to look at the whiteboard sitting innocuously on the desk. Eighteen tally marks in purple whiteboard marker glare back, neat and precise. 

“I’m going to spank you, once for each tally mark.” Thomas strokes his hand down Alex’s body, cups his ass and draws him close, so gentle in comparison to his words. 

Alex shivers and nods, curves against Thomas’ body, all hard planes to Alex’s softness. 

“I need you over my lap,” Thomas prompts. He pulls away from Alex and folds the blankets back, sudden rush of cool morning air kissing goosebumps onto Alex’s skin. 

Alex stretches and twists, rubbing his face against the soft sheets. Next to him, Thomas sits up, plumps up the fat pillows and stacks them against the headboard so he can sit up and rest comfortably against them. 

Alex stretches like a cat, arms out in front of him, chest down on the sheets. Pushes back into his hips with an arch of his back and hears the pop, pop, pop of his spine as he lifts his ass in the air. 

Thomas swats it lightly.

“Does that count as one?” Alex asks, and wiggles his ass teasingly. 

Thomas laughs. 

“No. Stop stalling and get up here,” he says, trying to sound stern but Alex can hear the smile in his voice and it warms every sleepy inch of Alex’s body. 

He shifts up and across the bed, settles across Thomas’ lap with his head pillowed on his arms and his feet hanging off the edge of the bed. He can see the firelight flickering on the walls, curtains drawn, the whole world soft and dim lit. On the desk, the whiteboard sits upright, rows of precise purple tally marks waiting patiently. 

“How many tallies are on the whiteboard, Alexander?” Thomas strokes his fingers over the curve of Alex’s ass, so light, so gentle. 

Alex’s cock twitches in interest against Thomas’ thigh. 

“Eighteen,” Alex breathes.

“Very good,” Thomas says. 

He takes his time, fingertips stroking gentle patterns over Alex’s skin. He strokes his thighs, his lower back, the swell of his ass cheeks. Dips his fingers between them and brushes over Alex’s hole, makes him moan softly against his arm. 

Alex, half awake and still sleep soft, melts into it. He loses himself in the barely there touches, lets his eyes close and his mouth fall open, all liquid and loose and aching in all the right places. Thomas’ fingers tease his skin, turn goosebumps to warmth and back to goosebumps all over again. He could float here forever, the warmth of Thomas’ lap beneath him, cool morning air on his back, Thomas’ fingers slowly stroking his body to heat and hardness. 

“Mmm… Thomas…” Alex murmurs.

“Ready? I’m going to hit you eighteen times. Colour?” Thomas’ voice is soft and low and warm and everything feels just the soft side of real. 

“Green,” Alex breathes, as if in a dream. 

“Good boy,” Thomas murmurs softly. He strokes his fingers over the backs of Alex’s thighs, so soft Alex is unsure if he’s just dreaming the careful stroke of fingers over his skin. 

The stinging crack of Thomas’ open palmed hand landing on his ass is a rude shock, and Alex grunts in surprise, his eyes flying open. 

His breath catches in his throat and his skin smarts and his eyes are wide and a little unfocused. 

“One,” he chokes out, voice a little strangled. 

Thomas must not have been expecting that, because his breath catches and his cock twitches under Alex’s belly, half hard.

“Oh, good boy,” he croons, genuine affection lacing the heat in his voice, “you’ve been so naughty, but you’re so good…” 

Thomas’ voice is honey sweet and summer warm and it makes Alex’s cock twitch in response against his thigh, and he can’t quite wrap his mind around the sting and the warmth and the softness. 

The second crack of Thomas’ hand is less unexpected, and Alex breathes into it, lets his eyes close again, leans into the hot red sting of skin on skin. 

“Two,” Alex breathes.

“Colour?” Thomas asks. 

“Green,” Alex says, soft. 

He can feel Thomas’ cock growing slowly harder, thick length pressing into the softness of his belly. 

They sink into a rhythm that feels like a dream to Alex. The sharp crack of Thomas’ hand on his ass, the stinging, burning heat that follows. The way he feels more connected to his body that he ever has in his life. The slow thickening of his cock against Thomas’ thigh, and the insistent hardness of Thomas’ cock against his belly. The soft cadence of his own voice counting, as if from very far away. 

Each crack of Thomas’ hand is harder than the one that came before it. It drives heat up Alex’s spine and through his veins, heats his blood, makes his heart beat faster. 

He counts obediently, voice hoarse and broken and strung out, takes every spank without another sound. Eyes closed, he breathes through the sting, breathes through the pain, feels closer to Thomas than he has all week. 

His heart threatens to burst out of his chest when Thomas switches the angle, delivers the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth smacks to the juncture of the tops of his thighs and the bottom of his ass. 

He doesn’t know when he started crying but his face and forearms and the sheets beneath him are wet, and his chest heaves and his cock is rock hard and leaking against Thomas’ thigh. It starts to feel like it might be too much at fourteen, just three to go and Alex’s breath ragged and hot in his lungs, Alex’s skin angry and red and inflamed against the punishing hard smack of Thomas’ hand. 

The next smack drives the breath from Alex’s lungs in a loud sob. 

Thomas pauses, strokes his fingertips down Alex’s over sensitive skin gently, makes Alex shiver. 

“Two more baby. Two more. You can do it, can’t you?” Thomas murmurs. 

“Green,” Alex pants, strung out and needy and desperate for everything Thomas wants to give to him. 

Stars burst behind Alex’s eyelids with the force of the sixteenth spank, and he doesn’t know how he can possibly take one more, feels like he’s burning up from the inside out. He’s strung tight, skin taut and near vibrating with sensation. Feels a half step from shattering. 

Thomas spanks him one more time, puts what feels like the full force of his strength behind the smack. 

Alex’s skin sings, impossibly hot, and he goes limp over Thomas’ lap, breathing hard and crying softly. 

“Good boy,” Thomas breathes. Soothes his fingertips down Alex’s hot skin, so light Alex isn’t sure he’s not imagining the touch. “What do you need, baby?” 

“You,” Alex says, opens his eyes to a world blurred by tears, feels like his heart is too big for his chest, feels a gnawing emptiness in the pit of his stomach. Wants Thomas to take it all from him, replace it with love and softness. “All of you.”

“All of me?” Thomas asks. He strokes his hand slow up Alex’s back, winds his fingers into Alex’s hair and gives it a gentle tug. 

“Yeah,” Alex shifts, rolls slow and languid over so that he’s sprawled on his back beside Thomas, looking up at him through his wet eyelashes. 

Thomas reaches over Alex to grab the lube from the nightstand. He slides down to lie beside Alex, strokes his hand slowly down Alex’s body, no rope harness to distract from the simple feeling of skin on skin. 

He pauses to give Alex’s cock a couple of slow, gentle strokes as he kisses a gentle trail down Alex’s body. Tongue and teeth and lips set Alex’s skin on fire all over again, tease soft moans to the soft edges of his tongue and lips and into the air like secrets spilled for Thomas’ ears only. 

Thomas shifts, pushes Alex’s legs apart and settles halfway down his body, mouthing at his stomach with gentle kisses and scraping teeth. 

He slicks up his fingers, and it sounds jarringly loud to Alex’s ears. 

The stroke of one lubed up finger over his hole makes Alex shudder and moan. 

“Gonna give you what you asked for, Sugar,” Thomas murmurs against Alex’s skin, all wet and hot. 

Alex groans as one slick finger sinks into him, slow and careful. He’s still stretched from last night, and Thomas’ finger strokes into him easily, finds his prostate and rubs against it slow and firm, over and over. 

Alex’s cock drips precome on his stomach, and he cants his hips up into Thomas’ stroking finger. 

The second finger joining it, pushing deep into him and teasing against his prostate, makes Alex’s mouth drop open on a high sound. 

Thomas sucks a deep purple mark into the pale skin of Alex’s belly, two fingers pumping slowly in and out. 

Alex’s awareness narrows to every inch of Thomas’ fingers, in and out, slick slide against his walls, insistent stroke over his prostate. 

“Can you take another?” Thomas asks. Punctuates the question with a slow lick over Alex’s bruised skin. 

“Yeah,” Alex says.

Thomas pulls back, works his third finger inside Alex, and the stretch feels so good. Alex’s cock throbs on his stomach and his fingers tangle in the sheets. 

“I’m going to put my whole fist inside you Alexander,” Thomas says, three fingers pushed as far into Alex as they’ll go, stretching him out, teasing him open. 

“Please,” Alex whines. He wants it all. He wants everything Thomas is willing to give him and more still. He wants Thomas’ hand and his fist and his cock and his mouth, every last bit of his beautiful brown skin and his corkscrew curls and his honey brown eyes. He wants all of this, the smell of Thomas’ skin and his plush lips first thing in the morning, his lazy Southern drawl and the way he seems to exist right underneath the softest layer of Alex’s skin at all times. 

Thomas spreads his fingers inside Alex, asks him to stretch, asks him to open. Gently, slowly, asks his body to take his fourth finger. 

It’s a stretch, but it lights Alex up with heat and need all over again, something far more intimate about this than anything else they’ve done this week, almost all of Thomas’ hand inside him, fingers stroking and stretching and asking for more and more and more. 

Alex rolls his hips gently, feels loose and strung out, wants Thomas to take every last piece of him and make it his own. 

“One more,” Thomas whispers, almost awed. 

“Green. Please, I need everything,” Alex babbles, a little senseless, a little on the soft side of real. 

Thomas works his thumb into Alex’s hole, and he presses, slow and careful. 

For a moment it feels impossible, but then Alex exhales and relaxes and Thomas’ fist, Thomas’ whole _hand_ is inside him, right up to the wrist, and it feels like nothing Alex has ever felt before. 

He feels impossibly full, impossibly stretched, strung tight and a fraction of a second from shattering. 

“Thomas, Thomas,” he pants, feels Thomas’ hand move against his prostate, everything too much and not nearly enough. 

“Alexander,” Thomas mumurs, awestruck and warm, and Alex is struck with the realization that he wants this, he really wants this. For real. For longer than this week. 

He wants Thomas’ warmth and his honey, wants this softer side of Thomas, the way he turns into something akin to a warm summer sunset when he’s not in front of a crowd. He wants Thomas breathing his name like that, over and over. He wants the arguing, wants the misunderstandings, wants to wake up with his mouth full of Thomas’ hair again and again and again. 

His heart clenches and his breath hitches in his throat and his cock jerks, so damn close to coming. 

“Alexander,” Thomas whispers again, reverent, and it’s too much. 

“Red,” Alex says, his voice a broken thing. 

“What? Alex?” Thomas pushes up on his elbow, looks down at Alex with his brow furrowed in concern. 

“Red, red, stop _touching_ me!” Alex snarls. His heart beats in his throat and it’s too much, it’s too overwhelming. 

“Shh, shh, okay, it’s okay, we’ll stop. I have to take my hand out slow baby, I don’t want to hurt you,” Thomas says, voice soft, tries to soothe Alex but every word just makes Alex feel more and more like he’s falling apart. 

“Stop it, shut up, get your hand out of me!” Alex twists, tries to pull away. 

“Alexander!” Thomas snaps. Shifts up and pins Alex’s hips down with his free arm. “Hold still, it’s okay, I have to go slow.”

Alex is shaking and his skin is burning and the slow, careful slide of Thomas’ hand out of him feels like it takes forever. Feels like loss, feels like ache, feels like a hole opening in his chest that he’s never going to be able to fill again. 

He’s choking on tears by the time Thomas gets his whole hand free, body ready to buckle in on itself. 

Thomas shifts off of him, reaches out to brush the wetness from Alex’s face. 

“Talk to me, Alex, what can I do?” Thomas says, so soft and so gentle that it shatters Alex into a million tiny pieces. 

“Just leave me alone!” Alex snaps, too high and fragile. He dodges Thomas’ hand and flings himself out of the bed on unsteady feet. Bolts for the bathroom and locks himself in. 

He turns on the shower, ignores Thomas’ knock, ignores Thomas’ voice. 

Flings himself into the shower and shuts the door and collapses in a heap on the tile floor. The first sob tears out of him, and he goes limp against the cold tile walls, sobbing his heart out. He shakes and shakes, feels acutely every place Thomas touched, all the ways he wants and all the things he’s a fool for yearning for. Everything he never knew he needed, and all of it a sham.

-

When Alex emerges from the bathroom, his face is raw and his eyes are puffy from crying, exhaustion heavy in his bones. He doesn’t look at Thomas, just yanks his clothes on over his still smarting skin. Tries to swallow a want that somehow grew far too large to swallow when he wasn’t looking. 

“Alexander…” Thomas doesn’t get up from where he’s sitting on the bed, but his voice is heavy with concern and worry, something a little bereft sounding underneath. 

“Don’t,” Alex says. He shoves his things into the beaten up old duffel bag and zips it shut angrily. 

“Alexander,” Thomas says, a little more force behind his voice. 

“Don’t, Thomas. Fuck off, you win okay!?” Alex whirls on Thomas, bag in his hand, heart in his throat. “You win. I didn’t last a week as your sub. I’ll make Herc drive me home, I’ll see you on Monday, just. Fucking. Don’t!” 

“Alex!” Thomas is up from the bed like a shot, but Alex is already halfway to the door. He jams his feet into his boots and yanks his coat off the hook and slams the door behind him. 

Thomas doesn’t follow. 

-

Alex doesn’t realize he’s still wearing the black leather collar until he sits down on the edge of his own bed, at home. 

Unbuckles it with shaking hands, and flings it away from himself. 

It hits the floor with the soft jingle of the tag. 

Alex rolls face down on his bed, shoves his face into his pillow, and screams.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this chapter contains: the fulfillment of a bet, mismatched socks, a really embarrassing moment, and feelings

Monday rolls around, inevitable. 

Alex drags himself to work with his heart in his throat, palms sweaty. He fidgets through the morning, dreading the eleven am company wide meeting. 

At nine thirty, Lafayette slips into his office. 

“Alex?” he asks. Hands Alex a fresh mug of coffee. “You haven’t answered my texts all weekend.”

Alex holds the coffee under his nose, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Imagines the strong smell of coffee steadying his nerves. 

It doesn’t, of course. 

“Alex?” Lafayette prompts again. He sits on Alex’s desk, swinging his socked feet, one green, one pink. 

“Where are your fucking shoes Laf?” Alex asks.

“So not the topic of conversation,” Lafayette says. 

“I lost the fucking bet, Laf.” Alex takes a huge gulp of coffee, fixes his gaze stubbornly on his computer screen. 

“Oh,” Lafayette says quietly. His swinging feet still, and he watches Alex silently for a moment that lasts far too long. 

“If you don’t mind, I have a lot of fucking work to get done,” Alex snaps. 

Lafayette sighs softly and slides off the desk. 

“I’m sorry, Alex,” he murmurs, shoulders drooping. “I thought…”

Alex looks up, gaze razor sharp.

“You thought _what_ , Lafayette? That you could just stick us together in some sort of twisted plan and have us come out madly in love and planning a wedding? Get your head out of the clouds.” He snarls. Yanks his gaze back to the computer screen, rage thrumming hot through his body. 

Lafayette stands frozen for a long moment, then turns and leaves, his socked feet silent on the office floor. 

-

Alex doesn’t hear a word Washington says as he addresses them at the meeting. He’s sandwiched between Hercules and Angelica, and he knows Lafayette is trying to get his attention but he ignores him. As the meeting draws closer and closer to concluding, Alex’s palms sweat and he feels cornered, feels trapped, feels like he’s going to be sick. 

Finally, after far too long and far too soon, Washington asks if anyone has any questions. 

Alex stands up, and the walk up to the front of the room has never felt so long, and Alex knows he’s going to get hauled into Washington’s office for this later, but he can’t not uphold his end of the bet. 

“Yes Alexander?” Washington asks as he hands Alex the mic. 

Alex turns around and looks at the crowd, all of his coworkers and colleagues, most of whom he’s never really met or interacted with. He can pick out John’s worried frown in the crowd, and Lafayette looking dejected and defeated. 

He finds Thomas’ face, and they lock eyes for a fraction of a second before Thomas looks away. He stares at something to the right, jaw tight and shoulders tense. 

Alex stares right at him as he raises the mic. 

“Sorry, Mr. Washington. This has nothing to do with anything. I uh,” Alex pauses, clears his throat, wishes the floor would open up and swallow him whole. “I’m in love with Thomas Jefferson.” He says, voice flat. 

In the silence that follows, Alex hands the mic back to Washington, who looks decidedly unimpressed.

“I’m taking a sick day,” Alex says, and he turns around and walks out of the hall without looking at anyone, chin high, shoulders back, gut twisting itself over and over into painful knots. 

-

He works from home the next day, spends far too long on the phone with Washington apologizing, and promising never to pull a stunt like that again. 

Wants to spend the whole week here, never wants to leave his shabby studio apartment again. 

A knock on the door startles him out of his reverie. 

Alex blinks, realizes with a start that it’s dark, and he’s been staring at his screen saver for god knows how long. 

Another knock at the door, insistent. 

Alex sighs, figures it’s probably John or Hercules, and hopes it’s Herc because Herc won’t ask questions, he’ll just waltz in with a case of beer and shitty food and they’ll sprawl on Alex’s bed together and put something stupid on TV and complain about everything until Alex can’t remember why he was sulking in the first place. 

He shuffles to the door, opens it, and stares dumbly at Thomas. 

“Hi,” Thomas says, after an uncomfortably long time. 

Alex shuts the door in his face. 

Thomas knocks again. 

“Alex let me in I want to talk to you,” he calls through the door. 

Alex doesn’t answer. He walks back over to his table and sits down. Gives the mouse a shake so his laptop wakes up again. 

Thomas starts knocking on the door again. 

Starts, and does. Not. Stop. 

Alex tries to wait him out.

He tries to ignore the knocking, figures Thomas will get bored and leave soon. How long can one person stand in a dingy apartment hallway and knock on a door anyways? 

As it turns out, at least half an hour.

Finally, Alex slams his laptop shut with a huff of frustration, and scrapes his chair back from the table. He stalks to the door and yanks it open, and Thomas isn’t even really paying attention anymore, just scrolling through his phone with one hand while he knocks with the other. 

Almost knocks on Alex’s face before he realizes the door is open. 

“Fine. Come in,” Alex snaps. He turns around and walks away, lets Thomas into his tiny studio apartment and folds his arms over his chest. He watches Thomas step inside and close the door behind him. Watches Thomas toe off a pair of shoes that probably cost more than Alex pays for one month’s rent in this shit hole.

He sits down awkwardly on the edge of his unmade bed. 

Thomas looks around for a moment before sitting in the chair Alex vacated moments ago.

"How did you get here?" Alex snaps. 

"Lafayette gave me your address," Thomas says, almost apologetically. 

“Lafay- fucking meddling French asshole. What do you want?” Alex asks. 

“What happened, Alexander?” Thomas asks, voice soft and even. He looks right at Alex, expression open and earnest. 

“I lost. Simple,” Alex says. He stares at the floor, doesn’t want to look at Thomas. 

“Alex… Alexander… everything was fine, and then you safeworded out of nowhere and shut me out and now you won’t even look at me, and I’ve been wracking my brain to try to figure out what I did to hurt you,” Thomas says. 

Alex looks up. Looks at the genuine worry on Thomas’ handsome face and shakes his head. 

“We hate each other, remember?” Alex says. 

“Do we have to?” Thomas fires back. 

Alex just stares, dumbstruck. 

“Alex?” Thomas asks after a long moment of silence. Shifts in his chair uncomfortably. 

Alex snorts derisively. 

“You think, what, we’re just going to go and get married now because I let you spend a week putting me through my paces? Good lord, were you in on this? You and Lafayette? Fuck!” Alex throws his hands in the air. 

“What? No! What? Alex, fuck, you’re such a stubborn asshole!” Thomas stands up and paces the short length of the apartment. “Why did you safeword?” He asks again. 

Alex grits his teeth and stares at the wall.

“I realized I’m falling for you,” he says, quiet.

“What?” Thomas stops in the middle of the room. “What did you just say?”

“I’m falling for you like some kind of fool,” Alex repeats, voice flat. 

Thomas walks over to the bed and sits down next to Alex, takes Alex’s chin in his hand and turns his head so they’re eye to eye. 

“Alexander,” he says. Strokes his thumb over Alex’s cheek in a gesture so soft it makes Alex want to melt. “I’ve liked you for ages. This week sealed the deal. I’m not talking let’s go to the altar tomorrow, god Alex why are you always in such a rush. I’m just talking, like, I want to try.” 

Alex blinks in surprise. 

“You… want to try,” he repeats. 

“Yes. Not a week long sex bet, nothing like that, Alex, I want to try dating you. For real. Getting to know you, for real,” Thomas lets go of Alex’s chin and drops his hands to his lap. 

Alex stares for a long moment before reaching out with a trembling hand and twining his fingers through Thomas’.

“Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and praise keep me going. Please love me.


End file.
